All quality goods and services are more expensive in DR than in NYC. That's quite a sweeping and incorrect statement. Think again!
Cars (even with questionable mileage and accident history)
Nonsense! http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/92970-marketing-car-prices.html#post767861
Gasoline.
If you can afford a vehicle it's silly to complain about the price of fuel. If you don't like it or cannot afford it then sell and take a guagua
Flat screen TV (if you ever find one that is not refurbished)
Who needs it and they are luxury items and are priced accordingly.
Home appliances. (if you ever find one that is not refurbished)
Nonsense again. There are plenty of new, high quality appliances available. If you shop carefully they can be found at reasonable prices, relative to their luxury status.
Food in restaurants. (at a lower quality than in NYC)
When did NYC become Mecca? I luv NYC but it's hardly the centre of the universe! There are plenty of well know/famous places in NYC that do not live up to the hype. There are also many fine restaurants in the DR at comparable pricing or better. Perhaps you need to get out more!
Prices in supermarkets (beware of expired or spoiled food!)
It all depends on what you are buying and of course where you are shopping. If you insist on buying imported good you have to accept the fact that they will cost more due to being imported. You do know that the DR is an island and imports a lot of stuff that they cannot produce themselves...don't ya? :cheeky::bunny::bunny:
Quality furniture.
Nonsense yet again! A trip to Santiago or Santo Domingo will prove you wrong very quickly
Quality medical help in serious cases.
Ridiculous! It's available, just not free aranoid::cheeky:
Decent schools for international and Dominican elite children.
You can't be serious. I should imagine that the "elite" can afford to send their kids to whatever schools they consider to be "decent" regardless of location.
Computers (if you ever find one that is not refurbished)
Come on! Ever heard of ordering one online? :cheeky: Then again I have seen, and used, computers built in the DR from parts purchased in the DR that were more than adequate for anything I need to do with them...and at very reasonable prices too. Not cutting edge to be sure but I'm not working on quantum mechanics...and neither are you I'd bet!
Taxi ($25 from POP airport to Sosua, 4 miles. $6US a mile)
It's a cartel/monopoly. You can't win, or even fight, every battle. Live with it!
If living a life with quality comparable to quality of life in NYC, in DR it will cost twice.
Hopefully most people that come to live in the DR are not interested in living like they may, probably wrongly, think people in NY live. I know that's not my plan!!!
If to downgrade the life to a cheaper and poorer one - it will be cheaper.
Just because something costs less does not make it poorer or of lower quality. It may in fact be far more satisfying!
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Women are cheaper in DR.
I'll defer to your experience in this matter :chinese:
House workers/ cleaners/maids are cheaper in DR, up to the moment when you decide to fire him/her and have to pay liquidation.
They are entitled by law. Do you have a problem with that?
Papaya, bananas and oranges are a bit cheaper in DR.
Mangos fall free from the trees...if you know where to look
Rent for appartments in comparable safe areas are about the same in NYC (Riverdale for example) and in safe areas of DR where people from the First World countries and Dominican elite live.
Define safe. Break ins can and appear to happen just about anywhere. I can think of a few examples in and around Sosua that I would consider "safe", with proper precautions taken, that can be had for as low as $200 USD per month. That might not even get you a parking spot in Manhattan!
And who is this "elite" you keep referring to? What about normal and average people, don't they count?