Working from home in Dominicana and rental prices

canarias

New member
May 24, 2009
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Hi,

Thank you for a very interesting and informative website.

I am a self employed person and I can work from any place in the world where is Internet access. 2 years ago I moved to the Canary Islands (Spain). I like living here very much but would like to explore some really tropical countries in Latin America or Caribbean. So, I am looking for a not very dangerous, cheap and quite developed country with normal Internet connection where to live for 1-2 years. Rep?blica Dominicana looks interesting for me, but after reading some threads in this forum about daily blackouts I got confused. Are blackouts a global problem in Dominicana or only in certain areas? If this is a global problem I have to forget about Dominicana because it's not possible to work (to use computer) if power is daily swiched off.

My second question is about Internet connection. Is Internet available in all parts of the country? I need at least 1 Mb connection.

My third question is about rental prices. I checked many sources and rental prices look very contradictious. I checked about 20 real estate websites and there are no apartments for rent under 1000 USD. At the same time this post:

http://www.dr1.com/forums/real-estate/88086-dr-7-500-month-too-cheap.html

says that 3 bedroom house is being rented for DR$7500 (about 150 EUR).

In rental offers at:
Dominican Republic Rentals

some people want USD 100 per night, some people want USD 350 per week, but some - USD 500 per month. I am getting crazy because prices are really contradictious.

In a tourist area of Gran Canaria where I live now I pay 500 EUR (about 600 USD)/month (water and electricity included in the price) for an 50 m2 apartment with sea views and 100m from beach. So, I think that USD 1000 is too much for an apartment in Dominicana. Maybe I am wrong...

My questions:
- what apartment can I get in Dominicana for 500 EUR/month?

- how much should I expect to pay in Dominicana for an apartment with:
* 50-60m2
* sea views
* 5-10 min walking distance from beach
* location is not very important, but not in a dangerous area and not very far from shopping facilities ??


Thanks.
 

jaguarbob

Bronze
Mar 2, 2004
1,427
60
48
Hi,

Thank you for a very interesting and informative website.

I am a self employed person and I can work from any place in the world where is Internet access. 2 years ago I moved to the Canary Islands (Spain). I like living here very much but would like to explore some really tropical countries in Latin America or Caribbean. So, I am looking for a not very dangerous, cheap and quite developed country with normal Internet connection where to live for 1-2 years. Rep?blica Dominicana looks interesting for me, but after reading some threads in this forum about daily blackouts I got confused. Are blackouts a global problem in Dominicana or only in certain areas? If this is a global problem I have to forget about Dominicana because it's not possible to work (to use computer) if power is daily swiched off.

My second question is about Internet connection. Is Internet available in all parts of the country? I need at least 1 Mb connection.

My third question is about rental prices. I checked many sources and rental prices look very contradictious. I checked about 20 real estate websites and there are no apartments for rent under 1000 USD. At the same time this post:

http://www.dr1.com/forums/real-estate/88086-dr-7-500-month-too-cheap.html

says that 3 bedroom house is being rented for DR$7500 (about 150 EUR).

In rental offers at:
Dominican Republic Rentals

some people want USD 100 per night, some people want USD 350 per week, but some - USD 500 per month. I am getting crazy because prices are really contradictious.

In a tourist area of Gran Canaria where I live now I pay 500 EUR (about 600 USD)/month (water and electricity included in the price) for an 50 m2 apartment with sea views and 100m from beach. So, I think that USD 1000 is too much for an apartment in Dominicana. Maybe I am wrong...

My questions:
- what apartment can I get in Dominicana for 500 EUR/month?

- how much should I expect to pay in Dominicana for an apartment with:
* 50-60m2
* sea views
* 5-10 min walking distance from beach
* location is not very important, but not in a dangerous area and not very far from shopping facilities ??


Thanks.

stay where you are...much less expensive and if you need elec all the time ,it will cost you dearly...in Dr.What you say you are paying there,it will be at least double here...
bob
 

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
1,230
214
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www.thecircusofdreams.com
To be honest we could all give you different and conflicting advice with regards to power problems and rental prices and they would still all be correct.

I would suggest that you research a little more on this website and others and narrow it down to a few areas that you think would be suitable for you.

All i would say is, if safety, power and living in a developed country are of upmost imporatnce forget about the Dominican Republic, and i would say that for most caribbean islands. Yes interent is avaliable but if you income relies soley on the forementioned things i would rethink.

There are of course different areas, north, south and east if you want the beach, there are towns, cities and villages, areas were mostly locals live, gated comunitites, tourist areas...really quite alot to choose from and depending on the areas a apartment can cost from 100USD per month or 2000USD per month.

However for what you are paying currently 600USD you could rent a one bedroom flat on a gated community in a decent area, of course depending on the community itself and the location. For example a apartment in "Cocotal" in Punta Cana can cost 2,000USD a month, whereas just round the corner in "Villas Bavaro" you can get one for 5-600USD.

Sorry i cant be specific but it was quite a general question.

Also Global means worldwide..I think you mean National ;)
 
Mar 1, 2009
941
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Hey Canarias! I am also in the same bind, I will work from home. Like you, I just need a reliable internet connection and power source. I live in Miami and I want to move to DR ( I lived there when I was younger).

If you get an inversor, I believe that might help you cope with some of the difficulties when the blackouts do occur or live in a community that has an independent power source. That should ammeliorate or at least decrease some of your problems. Check out moving to the DR on a low budget, lot's of answers there, friend.

If after a few months your position becomes untenable, with the money you make the rest of Latin America can still be your oyster. Yet, I must tell you that DR has something those other countries just don't have (Each country has it's own charms I'm sure). That certain je ne ce qua? It's own magic. Go, you'll see.

Don't let the negative people bring you down on your journey. There's still plenty of sunshine to be found after the storm clouds have blown down.

Lando.
 

laurajane

Bronze
May 23, 2005
1,230
214
63
www.thecircusofdreams.com
Hey Canarias! I am also in the same bind, I will work from home. Like you, I just need a reliable internet connection and power source. I live in Miami and I want to move to DR ( I lived there when I was younger).

If you get an inversor, I believe that might help you cope with some of the difficulties when the blackouts do occur or live in a community that has an independent power source. That should ammeliorate or at least decrease some of your problems. Check out moving to the DR on a low budget, lot's of answers there, friend.

If after a few months your position becomes untenable, with the money you make the rest of Latin America can still be your oyster. Yet, I must tell you that DR has something those other countries just don't have (Each country has it's own charms I'm sure). That certain je ne ce qua? It's own magic. Go, you'll see.

Don't let the negative people bring you down on your journey. There's still plenty of sunshine to be found after the storm clouds have blown down.

Lando.

I dont think any of us were being negative, and yes of course the island offers many things and for those reasons many of us live here.

But the OP said that she wants to live in a "developed" country and this isnt one of them allthough the DR actually can compete with many latin amercian or caribbean countries as far as technology is concerned we dont have the power esources to back it up as one poster recently mentioned.

Safety is another thing mentioned which again depends on where you live, I would suggest a gated community which means higher rent but more security.

Yes of course a Planta or inversol will help, it wont last very long if you want to run all of your electric appliances as you normally would, but its used more as an emergency backup and not a reliable source of power. If you live in a tourist area i.e Punta Cana then there is 24hr power (at a price i might add), but the down side of living in those areas is again that of course means rent is much higher than that of non tourist areas.
 

b.batista

New member
Feb 21, 2008
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The internet can be reliable if you choose the right area. You can buy an inverter like was already mentioned and have 24 hour electricity and have no worries. Choose some areas that interest you and ask if the internet is reliable there and then you can choose the one you like the most and your problem is resolved.
Also you should know that I am Dominicana and the country is called La Republica Dominicana or the Dominican Republic or the D.R. and not the Dominicana.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
In Juan Dolio, Villas del Mar, electricity goes around once a month that is all. sea front apts are around 1000 US$ and a couple of streets back are around 600 US$. Most large apt blocks have generators so even if elelctricity goes off you are fine.

matilda
 

Chelleyyyyy

New member
Apr 7, 2007
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Yet, I must tell you that DR has something those other countries just don't have (Each country has it's own charms I'm sure). That certain je ne ce qua? It's own magic. Go, you'll see.

Don't let the negative people bring you down on your journey. There's still plenty of sunshine to be found after the storm clouds have blown down.

Lando.

I don't reply to many posts on here, but I definitely read alot and after I read your post it reassured me that I'm making the right move on coming to DR. I'm not staying long, just three months, but I fell in love with the country and any time I can spend there is exciting to me. I hear many negative things about DR, but I'm with you .. there is just something about it that I absolutely love; it's charm as you said.

Chelley
 

canarias

New member
May 24, 2009
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Hi,

Thank you for your replies. I will do more research to find out if I could live in DR.