Rasing children in the DR...CHEAPER ???

paradise07

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I was searching to see if this topic was already covered or not, but did not find anything...so here goes !!!

There was a study that came out recently stating that the average cost to raise a child in North America to the age of 18 is 290, 000$.

I was wondering what the cost of raising a child in the DR is ??? Not the poorest of the poor, nor the richest of the richest child...but just and average...

Is it cheaper in the DR ???
 

Chirimoya

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We don't buy winter clothes, but we do pay school fees, which the average north American/European does not.
 

paradise07

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Ain't that the truth...

Make that winter, spring or fall clothes !!! 3 seasons depending on where you are from !!! LOL

And not every kid has a flat screen tv or play station in their room by the age of 7 either..

I was just wondering how different is it ??? My friends in the DR tell me that it costs about 100$ on average per month ??? I disputed that fact, so I was just wondering...

P.S. How much are school fees ?? Is that the equivalent of putting your children in private schools ???
 

Chirimoya

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As most Dominicans are poor, the average Dominican child goes to a state school (no fees) and his/her parents would not be able to afford a playstation or TV in the bedroom.

The average middle class Dominican child's lifestyle and material possessions are pretty much the same as their north American/European equivalent, though.

School fees vary enormously depending on the school - simple private schools aimed at the wage-earning poor/lower middle class might cost a couple of hundred pesos per month, while the top elite schools cost thousands of dollars per year per child. We pay less than a couple of thousand dollars a year, but our son isn't in one of the most expensive schools.
 

Squat

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Jan 1, 2002
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I guess it's cheaper... don't know... never had kids anywhere outside the DR :)
 

Matilda

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State school is free but the parent have to pay for uniform, backpack, shoes and books which is around 2500 pesos. on top of that you then have daily transport, which at the least is 50 pesos a day. Obviously if you have up to 5 kids you can put them all on a motoconcho so you save money that way. Average private schools are around 1200 pesos a month - the one my kids went to, but US schools are up to 6000 pesos a month plus plus plus.

Matilda
 

paradise07

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Well...

That still sounds real cheap to me....I spend 1200 pesos on flip flops a month !!! ***This is not true, just a metaphor folks...please don't lace into me"***


State school is free but the parent have to pay for uniform, backpack, shoes and books which is around 2500 pesos. on top of that you then have daily transport, which at the least is 50 pesos a day. Obviously if you have up to 5 kids you can put them all on a motoconcho so you save money that way. Average private schools are around 1200 pesos a month - the one my kids went to, but US schools are up to 6000 pesos a month plus plus plus.

Matilda
 

bienamor

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Apr 23, 2004
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Depends

We don't buy winter clothes, but we do pay school fees, which the average north American/European does not.


State by state, depends on where you live, Indiana for instance you do pay school fees, cost my daughter about 500 dollars this year to put her 4 kids into school. Lots of the states in the us require you pay for books etc.
 

Gossette Ortiz

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As most Dominicans are poor, the average Dominican child goes to a state school (no fees) and his/her parents would not be able to afford a playstation or TV in the bedroom.

The average middle class Dominican child's lifestyle and material possessions are pretty much the same as their north American/European equivalent, though.

School fees vary enormously depending on the school - simple private schools aimed at the wage-earning poor/lower middle class might cost a couple of hundred pesos per month, while the top elite schools cost thousands of dollars per year per child. We pay less than a couple of thousand dollars a year, but our son isn't in one of the most expensive schools.

You are right cuz i good coat is expensive for adults and children and so is winter clothes and you dont have the option not to buy winter clothes the following year cuz kids grow, and not only winter clothes remember kids wear uniforms in DR for school you have to buy a whole new line of clothes for fall back to school, winter, spring and summmer every year. Thats why some things like school materials and toys are cheaper because parents are constently buy things for kid.

So i think that it might be equal what people pay in school in Dr to what people pay in the States.
 

Criss Colon

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Talking About the cost of "Clothes" Is Foolish!!!!!!!

In fact the whole "question" is IMPOSSIBLE to answer! You CANNOT get an answer when you are comparing "Mangos and Apples"!
The living standards are impossible to compare! EVERYTHING is impossible to compare. Most "Civilized" Countries provide basic services to their citizens in exchange for the taxes paid by those citizens. In the DR the taxes are VERY high,but the services are very low,por quality,or non-existant! How can you even think about comparing health care,education,police/fire/paramedic services in the DR with "REAL" other countries???

I have raised a child in the USA,and I AM raising four more here in the DR! I will say that for an "Average" middle class family in the USA,(whatever "Average" is???)it costs less,to give your child "More" than it does here!

"EVERYTHING" is a challenge to do here! It either costs more,or you can't find it here!

The "Real" question is;..."Is it BETTER to raise children in the USA,or the DR???"

I WISH I knew!
My position is, "Raise your children the best you can,with what you have,wherever you are!" It is MUCH more important what goes on "Inside Your House" than what goes on "Outside"!
I will say that we have much more of "Bubble" mentality here in the DR than we had in the USA! You must be very self-reliant here. In the USA you canlook to "others" to make life a little "easier" to live!
I'm going to Boston tomorrow. The "Benefits" of living in a "Civilized" country always become more obvious when I am there!!!
I must start acting like a responsible part of a civilized society tomorrow!
No more driving like an "IDIOT",EVEN though it IS Boston! No more throwing trash in the street! No more "PUBIC" drunkeness! and worst of all, I can't beat my wife and kids whenever I feel like it!!!:ermm:

Oh Well!" At least there will be lots of young girls,(All "MODELS are 18 years or older! "Records on file in our office!) to sleep with!!!..."NOT!!!"

"Gee,I haven't left,and I can't wait to get back!":cheeky::cheeky::cheeky:
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That may not be of any help,but that is how I feel!
 

chola1978

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If you will like an excat answer please ask specific questions give us all the detail or better yet port the report what are the things they are measuring so we can convert them into pesos and the actual cost of those items i nthe Dr and come up with a forward estimate. it might take some time but is possible. Suerte
Albin
 

Danny W

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Mar 1, 2003
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Cheaper in the DR. Private schools in the DR, though expensive, are probably considerably less that the school/property taxes in the US. Summer camps in the DR are almost non-existant. And less keeping up with the Joneses in general (cars, clothes, playstations, malls).

The fact is that the expectations of the child and parent are set lower in the DR as they relate to material things. I'm sure the Dominican "elite" pay a fortune to achieve the American lifestyle for their kids.
 

Chirimoya

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Cheaper in the DR. Private schools in the DR, though expensive, are probably considerably less that the school/property taxes in the US. Summer camps in the DR are almost non-existant. And less keeping up with the Joneses in general (cars, clothes, playstations, malls).

The fact is that the expectations of the child and parent are set lower in the DR as they relate to material things. I'm sure the Dominican "elite" pay a fortune to achieve the American lifestyle for their kids.

This is a classic case of someone formulating his image of the DR on limited experience. Top private schools in the DR can cost around US$10,000 per year. The middle/upper range is well over US$3,000 these days.

There are several summer camps in the US sense, and many school-based 'camps' for children during the school holidays.

And keeping up with the Joneses, especially in middle/upper middle class circles is a national pastime - many people live way beyond their means in order to present an affluent image.
 

Danny W

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This is a classic case of someone formulating his image of the DR on limited experience. Top private schools in the DR can cost around US$10,000 per year. The middle/upper range is well over US$3,000 these days.

There are several summer camps in the US sense, and many school-based 'camps' for children during the school holidays.

And keeping up with the Joneses, especially in middle/upper middle class circles is a national pastime - many people live way beyond their means in order to present an affluent image.

Chirimoya-
I have 2 kids at Garden Kinds in Sosua, and I know what the International School costs. I also have sent a child to day camp at a resort in Sosua. But have you lived in New York recently? - I do.

Good private school in the NY metro area - 20K, Property (school) taxes 20K, summer camp 10k, car at 17 yrs...

It's true that parents anywhere can spend excessively to spoil their kids, and I've seen it in the DR. Truth is that kids cost money.

When my Dominican step children are old enough, I plan to expose them to life in the US - and that's REALLY going to cost. But I want them to be sophisitcated citizens of the world as are my adult American children. - D
 

Chris

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I keep seeing a great divide between South Coast (Santo Domingo) and North Coast (Sosua, Puerto Plata).

Keeping up with the Joneses is not as visible on the North Coast. Perhaps this has to do with population density only. Schools are a little cheaper and obviously there is less choice. Camps are few and far between. It is hard to find 'kid things' that are easily available in Santo Domingo, dance classes, swim classes, other sport.
 

Chirimoya

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Danny, have you lived, and brushed shoulders with the middle/upper-middle classes, in Santo Domingo or Santiago recently? That would be a fairer comparison. :)

Notice I purposely don't mention the upper classes. Even excluding the top 3 schools in Santo Domingo where fees are in the realm of ten thousand bucks per annum per child, the point is that the type of people (socio-economically speaking) who would be content to have their children in a state school in the US are having to pay school fees to the tune of several thousand of dollars per year for anything resembling the equivalent education in the DR.

Comparing the 'top private schools' in the US and the DR is a completely different matter. Of course it is more expensive to live a life of luxury in the US than it is in the DR. Just compare the costs of running a mansion and employing a fleet of servants!
 

Danny W

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I agree. The North Coast seems less intense in that respect. That's one of the reasons why I prefer it. - D
 

Criss Colon

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My Two Young Daughters Go To "Pre-school" in Santo Domingo.

One is 5,the other 3. As far as I know,they are the only kids with an "American" parent. Our family is the "Token Poor" of the place! The Dominicans try to "outdo" eachother at all levels! The most obvious is at the "Birthday Parties" held at the school. I "allowed" my wife to participate for the first 2 years my oldest daughter went there, NO MORE! The dominicans "Send In The Clowns",but not me!! I don't send out "Invitations",and expect fancy gifts from the other kids in my daughters class. What I do,is get a big cake,a few 2 liter bottles of sodas,and just show up on my daughters birthday! We sing "Cumpleanos Felis" AND "Happy birthday tu Jew" it IS,AFTERALL, a "Bilingue" Colegio! and all the kids are happy! The lavish parties are just a showcase for the parents,not the kids!
My "Van" is now a "Piece-of-$hit"! I drive with impunity!! Some of my Dominican "friends" have told me that it an embarasment to my children to arrive at school in such an "Old Car"! "GOOD!"
I happen to be in Boston right now! Why? Because I get free medical care here! I have little faith in the treatment in the DR,(With a FEW Exceptions!) and it cost a LOT of money there!
My daughters want a "Fisher Price" car racing set. I saw it at "La Sirena" for 4,000 pesos. It is on sale at "Toys "R" Us" this week for $40 ,and you get a $10 gift certificate if you spend $75 in the store. I THINK I can reach that amount!!
"FOOD" here is 100 to 200 percent less expensive that in the DR! The selection is FAR greater,and the quality is higher! The "pork" in the DR IS better,as far as the "Flavor" is concerned,if not the health benefit!
There is only ONE thing that is cheaper AND "Higher Quality" in the DR,and decorum keeps me from going "INTO DeTail" about exactly what THAT is!!!
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