Cost of living Bavaro vs. Santo Domingo

rubenpriego

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Feb 28, 2011
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Hi all, after living for almost 2 years in Bavaro and thinking that in a coming future my life could lead me to Santo Domingo, I am wondering, which of both places is more expensive?
I know for sure that Bavaro is not cheap, mostly expensive in all senses.
For example, getting a taxi in Bavaro is ridicuously more expensive than in the capital, cinemas are more expensive too, etc.
But in the overall, do you think SD has a cheaper cost of living than Bavaro?
Could you give examples?
I really need to know if it is cheaper SD, and if so, how much on average, if anyone is able to give that figure just in his own opinion (20% cheaper, 30% ...)
Thanks a lot for your help
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Rent may be about the same or cheaper or more expensive, depending on where you live in Bavaro and where you will live in SD, supermarket food about the same, dining out about the same, taxis cheaper, public transport cheaper, gasoline more expensive (traffic jams), clothing cheaper or more expensive, depending on where you shop now and where you will shop in SD, electricity cheaper, phone the same, cable more expensive. So it actually... REALLY DEPENDS. I would say it could even out at the end.
 

rubenpriego

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Feb 28, 2011
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thanks for your reply Rubio.
So electricity and public transport cheaper, thats good.
By logic I think clothes cheaper, just because in SD you have 100 times more options for buying clothes than in Bavaro, so for sure the spending on that should be cheaper than in Bavaro in my opinion.
About food, I realised that supermarkets had the same prices more or less than in Bavaro, but at least in SD you have the chance to buy some fruits or so in local street markets, and I assume that prices will be really cheaper than buying fruit in a Bavaro supermarket.
Maybe the overall would be that SD can be a bit cheaper than Bavaro considering some things that are for sure cheaper and if you get a life with others ...
About where living, I assume the same category of area, I lived in el Cortecito (so more expensive than Friusa, Veron ...), so I would expect living in a good area of SD, like Gazcue, Evaristo Morales ...
 

pelaut

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Aug 5, 2007
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Clothes?

Do-gooders in the US and Canada ship their big brand stuff to Haiti which is overflowing with the bales. Haiti ships them here.

Do the flea markets. I pay 40 pesos for a top brand pair of shorts that were on sale in Miami for $40.
Gotta be real dumb to pay $39 for the same result.
 

jeanchris

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Feb 27, 2012
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Everything is cheaper in Santo Domingo.

Maybe only the rent could cost you more, or less, this depends where you decide to live.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

HUG

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Feb 3, 2009
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Bavaro is cheaper to rent a nice place, you would never in a million years get in the capital what you get in Bavaro for next to nothing. Fully furnished, new apartment with security and pool, 100 mtrs from the beach $350p/m. Bavaro is a renters market.
Capital, is cheaper for everything else. Using taxis in this country is expensive, you need to buy a car.

I say that, but I have just rented out my casita for RD1,500 per month, obviously not furnished, that is pretty cheap, but it is campo La Caleta, which is a bit too much for your average gringo to take, unless you are extremely well adjusted to the crazy folk.
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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Just be aware, living in Santo Domingo has its own attitudes.

Think of living with cycles of power outages, water shortages, poor waste removal, and managing transit. If you have a thick skin no problem.

Weigh and measure your options.


Regards,

PJT
 

HUG

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There is no waste collection in La Caleta by the way, none at all, even down in the barrio.
 

Bronxboy

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Jul 11, 2007
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Another thing.

Everyone lives in SD.

Ask anyone from DR in NY where are they from and they will tell you SD.

Since SD is the capital, everyone wants to be from there.

This has always been my pet peeve.

Ask anyone from Peru where they are from and they will say Lima.

Get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

HUG

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Everyone in DR thinks England is in NY, well actually think the rest of the world is in NY.
 

rubenpriego

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Just be aware, living in Santo Domingo has its own attitudes.

Think of living with cycles of power outages, water shortages, poor waste removal, and managing transit. If you have a thick skin no problem.

Weigh and measure your options.

Regards,

PJT

That happens even in the best places of SD? Gazcue, Evaristo Morales, Naco, Piantini ...
 

rubenpriego

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Bavaro is cheaper to rent a nice place, you would never in a million years get in the capital what you get in Bavaro for next to nothing. Fully furnished, new apartment with security and pool, 100 mtrs from the beach $350p/m. Bavaro is a renters market.
Capital, is cheaper for everything else. Using taxis in this country is expensive, you need to buy a car.

I say that, but I have just rented out my casita for RD1,500 per month, obviously not furnished, that is pretty cheap, but it is campo La Caleta, which is a bit too much for your average gringo to take, unless you are extremely well adjusted to the crazy folk.

I have been as said, living in Bavaro for 2 years. 350$ an apartment, fully furnished and walking distance to beach??? tell me exactly which condominium offers that ... no way ... maybe just a little apartstudio, but a normal apartment with 1 or 2 bedrooms is at least 500-600$ if walking distance to the beach ... just lived there, and if you do a search on internet, you will see those prices ..
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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That happens even in the best places of SD? Gazcue, Evaristo Morales, Naco, Piantini ...

The 'managing transit' is just about everywhere in SD.

Several of my in-laws have no power problems at all in the capital, they don't even bother with an inverter. Before you rent anywhere, ask to see their electric bill, if it's not an "A" circuit, could be trouble.

Maybe someone can tell you how to determine water shortage areas - I know my suegra occasionally had to call a water truck, but that was like once or twice a year.
 

HUG

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Feb 3, 2009
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I have been as said, living in Bavaro for 2 years. 350$ an apartment, fully furnished and walking distance to beach??? tell me exactly which condominium offers that ... no way ... maybe just a little apartstudio, but a normal apartment with 1 or 2 bedrooms is at least 500-600$ if walking distance to the beach ... just lived there, and if you do a search on internet, you will see those prices ..

I do not need to do a search, I lived in said accom for 2 years and happen to know the prices have not increased. And so your no way if unfortunately infact very much yes way!!!!!
Try doing your own work rather than emplying an agent to rip you off, might find life is far more affordable if you are paying round double for less. Unfortunately expats tend to enjoy throwing money at lawyers, agents and anyone else who is there to do the work they should be more than capable of carring out themselves.
Try looking around the Bibijagua, you not only get the beach within 30 seconds walk away but also this lovely little plaza to wander around with a few restaurants to graze at. You can see photos of the apartments among the photos of everything else within spitting distance here.
https://www.google.com.do/search?q=...ZMa7MsQTct4LYCA&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1014&bih=618
 

rubenpriego

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I do not need to do a search, I lived in said accom for 2 years and happen to know the prices have not increased. And so your no way if unfortunately infact very much yes way!!!!!
Try doing your own work rather than emplying an agent to rip you off, might find life is far more affordable if you are paying round double for less. Unfortunately expats tend to enjoy throwing money at lawyers, agents and anyone else who is there to do the work they should be more than capable of carring out themselves.
Try looking around the Bibijagua, you not only get the beach within 30 seconds walk away but also this lovely little plaza to wander around with a few restaurants to graze at. You can see photos of the apartments among the photos of everything else within spitting distance here.
https://www.google.com.do/search?q=...ZMa7MsQTct4LYCA&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1014&bih=618


Aaaahhh ooook!! bibijagua, now I understand ... absolutely close to the beach those condos, but away from any other things which you find at Los Corales, El Cortecito, etc ...
 

HUG

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Aaaahhh ooook!! bibijagua, now I understand ... absolutely close to the beach those condos, but away from any other things which you find at Los Corales, El Cortecito, etc ...

Away from what exactly, moto conchos, what does El Cortecito have to offer a resident? I think Bibi actually offers more, other than restaurants. Fact is it is a renters market, you aren?t making your own decisions and own prices which will save you money. You sound like you don?t own a vehicle, and so maybe that is the issue for you choosing to pay over the odds, I dunno, but I only ever go to El Cort when I am looking to be a tourist, that is not a resident zone nor offers anything of value to a resident other than the odd weekend meal in a windy restaurant. If you live in Bavaro and do not own a vehicle then you are screwed, full stop. If you do own a vehicle then access is not an issue. Residents who do not drive and live in Bavaro are really living a stunted lifestyle.

Besides that, I lived on the El Cortecito stretch oposite the plaza and had the same deal. you can live anywhere and find the same deal, within reason. Your argument is not valid. Give me $200 and three days and I will find you those deals in no time at all, all over Bavaro.
 

rubenpriego

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All over Bavaro I dont think so ... not at El Cortecito or Los Corales.
Los Corales even more expensive than el Cortecito as it is closest to the beach.
Getting an apartment for 350$ a month in condos like Arenas de Bavaro, Corte Sea, Costa Hermosa, Palm Suites, Estrella de Mar, etc, etc, ... no way ... ;)
 

HUG

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Feb 3, 2009
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All over Bavaro I dont think so ... not at El Cortecito or Los Corales.
Los Corales even more expensive than el Cortecito as it is closest to the beach.
Getting an apartment for 350$ a month in condos like Arenas de Bavaro, Corte Sea, Costa Hermosa, Palm Suites, Estrella de Mar, etc, etc, ... no way ... ;)

WTF are you on (with respect). The guy asked what is more expensive, no? Now I told him you will get much more for your buck in Bavaro. Sure you can find much more expensive areas to live, that is easy, but not what he is looking for. I can find much more expensive places to live in the capital, anywhere. That is not the point of this thread. The point is, what you get, and you get more in Bavaro, property is cheaper, end of story. And you still didn?t answer me about what El corticito offers. And teh argument of being cloer to the beach, not alot comes closer than Bibi other than being right on the beach.

All over Bavaro is a reference that there is good cheap property all over, not everywhere, understand? If Expats want to live in exclusive areas (littel bubbles of home securities and familiarities with like minded people) then you pay, same as anywhere, but it?s there if you know where and how to look and drive a deal. Infact even if you don?t, any idiot can get a bargain in Bavaro, too much and too little interest, it is developing arse about tit, which makes it a buyers, renters market.
 

ZC1

Member
Dec 8, 2013
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Hi all, after living for almost 2 years in Bavaro and thinking that in a coming future my life could lead me to Santo Domingo, I am wondering, which of both places is more expensive?
I know for sure that Bavaro is not cheap, mostly expensive in all senses.
For example, getting a taxi in Bavaro is ridicuously more expensive than in the capital, cinemas are more expensive too, etc.
But in the overall, do you think SD has a cheaper cost of living than Bavaro?
Could you give examples?
I really need to know if it is cheaper SD, and if so, how much on average, if anyone is able to give that figure just in his own opinion (20% cheaper, 30% ...)
Thanks a lot for your help

FYI - Many parts of the Zona Colonial rarely have power outages. In the past 6 months there were 7 outages, longest was 8 hours and that was to repair a pole that was falling due to a delivery truck hitting it. Most are two hours tops. That said, it is still dirty, though improved over the past 5 years. Also, it will take a year before street vendors know you are a resident, so expect to hear "gift shop" every ten yards of your walk. Food shopping is horrific - the local JUMBO is run like a really bad colmado, but their sister store La Nacional will replace it in about a year. Overall, La Zona is ramping up to become a really nice place. Patience, it has only taken 500 years!