Can living expenses be so much?

xSpAnIaRdx

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Jul 14, 2009
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Hi all
Just recently joined and I have read previous answers on how much it actually costs to live in Santo Domingo. However I find it strange that there have been estimates as high as 3000 plus USD a month to maintain a so called regular standard of living. How is this possible are these estimates accurate? I have been
to Santo Domingo over 11 times already to visit my Wifes relatives and I see they live normal middle class lives but make no where near 3000 plus USD a month.
Area where they live incase you might ask is ARROY HONDO I.
Hell with 3000 usd a month you might as well live your life in an all-inclusive resort. Prob be cheaper.
 

caribmike

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Jul 9, 2009
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We need minimum 1,200 US Dollars a month (wife, 6yo son, me) and we are in Puerto Plata, and in 1,200 there are NO extras, just rent, food, school, basic things.... But it depends all, what kind of standards you set for yourself.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Look at it this way:

For a family of 3 (e.g. caribmike) per month

Rent RD$15,000 - a nice house or large apartment --> NOT in SD!!!!
Food RD$15,000 - that's 5000 pesos per person - if and ONLY if you buy Dominican products
Phone + Internet + Cellular RD$4,000
Electricity RD$3,000 if you run some A/C and do power saving, otherwise much more
Cable RD$500
Water RD$500
Transportation RD$3,000 minimum (depends on your mode of transportation)

We have arrived at RD$41,000 which is almost US$1,200
and I have not included lots of things like medical, clothing, education, etc.

Look, I have a friend here in Higuey, middle class, he TV producer, wife dentist, 2 kids 5 and 7 yo. Their monthly expenses exceed RD$70,000 and that is with NO BIG extras.
 

Expat13

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Jun 7, 2008
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Hi all
Just recently joined and I have read previous answers on how much it actually costs to live in Santo Domingo. However I find it strange that there have been estimates as high as 3000 plus USD a month to maintain a so called regular standard of living. How is this possible are these estimates accurate? I have been
to Santo Domingo over 11 times already to visit my Wifes relatives and I see they live normal middle class lives but make no where near 3000 plus USD a month.
Area where they live incase you might ask is ARROY HONDO I.
Hell with 3000 usd a month you might as well live your life in an all-inclusive resort. Prob be cheaper.

I agree, its not hard at all to chew up that much in a month.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
My husband has 4 brothers living in Santo Domingo - and the consensus is that we should expect to spend about $3000 US a month to live there 'comfortably' when we retire. Includes housing, utilities, car, gas, food, medicine, insurance, a maid, etc. To tell you the truth, I thought it was high, but these guys live there and know what they spend.
 

dr.ong

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Jul 14, 2009
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Food RD$15,000 - that's 5000 pesos per person - if and ONLY if you buy Dominican products
Phone + Internet + Cellular RD$4,000
Electricity RD$3,000 if you run some A/C and do power saving, otherwise much more
Cable RD$500
Water RD$500

it's important to me because i'm considering take a job at DR

Food = 5000 pesos / person...... is it 3 times eat for 30 days? what kind of food? please give me some example.......

How fast the internet? in kbps please? is it unlimited usage?

water = 500....... is it just only for bath, washing? or we can also drink it?

thanx
 

alabemos

New member
Dec 15, 2004
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Depends...

xSpAnIaRdx

Almost invariably it costs a foreigner from a wealthier country more to live here than it costs a Dominican. Why?

1. You have to pay for a visa, residency, etc.
2. You may have taxes from your home country that you have to figure into the equation; they aren't a Dominican cost, but they are part of your normal living expenses.
3. People tend to charge you more for things you buy, and services they provide, than they would charge a local person.
4.While many people here either get insurance through their work or on their own, most don't have insurance, or at least not on the level you would like it. Then there is car insurance as well.
5. You probably aren't going to take public transportation. Instead you will buy a car, and those are expensive here, with high gas prices as well.
6. You probably will want to make trips back to your home country. Travel isn't cheap.
7. This is an island. Almost everything is imported (and taxed). So when you buy a TV or a computer, or an appliance, it is probably going to cost you double or triple what you are used to paying for it in your home country.

8. I should add, it can actually be much more dangerous for you to live using public transportation and in a lower class area, because of the perception people have (like burglars & muggers) that you, as a foreigner are made of euros or dollars. A Dominican doesn't have this impediment.

So yes, the Dominicans you know may very well live on much less than people are telling you, but will you be able to? Most people cannot.

All in all, you are used to a higher standard of living. You require better quality in your possessions, your clothes--just about everything, and that costs. Things you see as essential are considered luxuries by those you are comparing cost of living with. You may not notice that on a visit.

It is very stressful to try to live at even the lower middle-class level here. There are foreigners (from developed countries) that manage to do it, but they are the exceptions, not the norm. What you call "middle class" in your home country is probably considered "rich" by the typical middle class Dominican.

Having said all this, it does obviously depend on your lifestyle and how many mouths you have to feed. You can, indeed, live on less than $3000 a month, if you are willing to make some sacrifices, and don't live in the high priced areas. My rent is only 7,500 for a three BR two bath apt, but I have to put up with a dirt road, noisy neighbors, and many other inconveniences which I wouldn't have if I were living in the more elite areas of the city.
 

TOOBER_SDQ

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Nov 19, 2008
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it's important to me because i'm considering take a job at DR

Food = 5000 pesos / person...... is it 3 times eat for 30 days? what kind of food? please give me some example.......

How fast the internet? in kbps please? is it unlimited usage?

water = 500....... is it just only for bath, washing? or we can also drink it?

thanx

Dr. Ong.

Food. The response of 5000 pesos per month is for food you prepare in your house to eat. For 5000 pesos it would consist of green salad, rice, beans, plaintains etc., with smal quantities of beef or chicken. A decent quick lunch in the street should cost about 200 pesos. This is not fine dining, and something you would expect to eat out of styrofoam. Lunch is the main meal (biggest) in the Dominican Republic.

Internet. Although this question of yours was answered in great detail by other posters in your previous post, I will tell you my arrangement. I use Codetel in Santo Domingo and I pay approximately 2000 pesos per month for local telephone service and a 128 kbps broadband internet connection. I think of the 2000 peso, the broadband costs me about 800 peso. The usage is unlimited. You may think a 128 kbps connection is slow, but everytime I test the speed it is far more than what I am paying for. Look at the responses to your other post for costs of higher speed packages.

Water The water that comes from your faucet is for showers and washing only. Do not drink it !!!

Advice If you are thinking of moving here and have no experience here, take my advice. After you estimate your cost of living in Santo Domingo, add 50% to the estimate. This should be enough for expenses you did not foresee. Examples are garbage removal (some places), propane, tinaco installation, crap breaking in your apartment because the quality is terrible and the landlord is not responsible to fix it, very expensive electricity, security etc.
 

jaguarbob

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Mar 2, 2004
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it's important to me because i'm considering take a job at DR

Food = 5000 pesos / person...... is it 3 times eat for 30 days? what kind of food? please give me some example.......

How fast the internet? in kbps please? is it unlimited usage?

water = 500....... is it just only for bath, washing? or we can also drink it?

thanx
you need to remember that the regular dominican earns about 2500 dollars a YEAR..200 t0 300 dollars a month...so they need to live on that,and probably have a family of 4...so meat of any kind is a rairity except for chicken...even chicken is now over 25 pesos a pound...so a 5 pound chicken is almost a days earnings.This island is almost the most expensive in caribbean,and electric is the highest...when you have it...
Dominican Republic is a 3rd world country..
I live on 2500 dollars a month,have no car,hardly ever go out to eat,have a wife and 2 girls,but I would not give up this life for anything...I am completely happy and away from the worlds rat race.
bob
 
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TOOBER_SDQ

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Nov 19, 2008
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I live in Santo Domingo and use about 3 kUSD per month on rent, utilities, food, booze, incidentals etc.

I play host alot, so I guess if I didn't play host, the number could be shrunk to 2500 USD.

I would not want to be here on a lighter budget than this.
 

voleibolchica

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Mar 31, 2009
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I don't live there yet, so I can't speak for cost of living, but I think you have to consider the level you're willing to live at. I'm a recent college grad, so I'm used to being...well, broke. When I move there, I plan to live at the same level. We'll see if that works out, I guess, but it's a lot different for the "rich Americans" than it would be for someone willing to live on less.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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this is not america. please! american college graduate "broke" is NOT the same as dominican "broke". with all due respect i'd rather stay in america/europe where at least one gets some government help (benefits, grants) than live in DR on the low low budget.
3k dollars a month sounds like a lot to you? my bloody ticket to go home for xmas is 1.5k us dollars.
an insurance for a car (7 year old jeep) is 1k dollars a year.
an inversor with batteries is 1k dollars.
your yearly power bill will easily come to 1k dollars a year (with AC and pool).
 

Expat13

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Jun 7, 2008
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even worse...
my bill for last month was 2000 pesos (no AC, no pool). :tired:

Mine was 4700peso up from the 3 previous months on 3000 and have far more hours of blackouts, therefore using my inversol. They charge you more the months that you are in the dark here.
I have 3 bedroom, two rooms with a/c, no pool.

Hard to factor electricity into a regular budget here, its kinda like predicting your evening at the casino.
 

TOOBER_SDQ

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Nov 19, 2008
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I would spend less money on "cost of living" when I lived in rural/ suburban parts of Oklahoma/ Texas/ Louisiana, than in Santo Domingo.

This is place is not exactly cheap.
 
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ramesses

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Jun 17, 2005
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I make around 2800 cdn a month, own a car, pay rent, have hdtv, cell, hs internet, drive to work, gym membership. I take 3 trips a year to the DR. So it would cost more to live in the DR than is does for me in the city of Toronto. This is amazing to me. Oh well.....I guess my dreams are shot to hell.
 

DRob

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Aug 15, 2007
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I make around 2800 cdn a month, own a car, pay rent, have hdtv, cell, hs internet, drive to work, gym membership. I take 3 trips a year to the DR. So it would cost more to live in the DR than is does for me in the city of Toronto. This is amazing to me. Oh well.....I guess my dreams are shot to hell.

Probably why it's best to stick one's toe in the pool before plunging in headfirst. While I disagree with a previous post that the DR is the most expensive island in the Caribbean (Grand Cayman, anyone), it is pricey to attempt to recreate a lifestyle.

Rameses, you make in a month more than many Dominicans clear in a year, so your self-described lifestyle to them would be characterized as, at minimum, upper middle class. But we both know that CDN 2800 only gets you so far in Toronto, especially if that's pre-tax.

My point: if one lives as a pensioner in their home country, they'll probably live a slightly better lifestyle out here (at least it'll be warmer), but by no means will they experience a huge jump in class. You'll get more exercise, have a better social life (if you take the time to learn Spanish), will love the climate and island lifestyle, the music, food, and attention from younger Dominicans.

What you won't get, is an opportunity to exchange a Beetle for a Bentley (more likely a bicycle).
 

crm

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May 5, 2004
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Ramesses

It all depends on where and how you live. If you have come on holidays you have probably visited the North Coast or Punta Cana. In Puerto Plata and in the smaller towns in the east coast you could live a very simple life on a small amount of money. If you wanted to recreate your life in Toronto in Santo Domingo you will find that the only things cheaper are rent and domestic help. If you adjust your diet food will be cheaper as well. But your vehicle will cost twice as much, your internet 2-3 x as much if you want equal quality, electricity is ridiculous. 2800 dollars a month for one person is a very good middle class income in Santo Domingo but you would be one of many and would not be anywhere close to the top of the food chain. In a small town in a rural area, you would be king. Lots of options and lots to figure out.