Many people wonder how much funds are required to live in the Dominican Republic for short or long terms. We need information for vacationers on a budget and people planning to either retires in the DR, live half the year, or live in the DR full-time. Any feed back is welcome.
- Thread starter RevenueCanada
- Start date
Cost of Living in the DR
theCeo said:
Depends on a lot of things like where, which time of year for long or short term, a nice place or a hovel, pool or no pool, furniture or unfurnished, how far from town, elec. included, water? Maybe we should start a thread with all our perspective rents and towns???
Stay well,
Amy
RevenueCanada said:
Search first there are oodles of threads on the costs of all sorts of things.
Unless you want to go native (e.g poor as a churchmouse) you will spend what you'd spend in a mid-sized Canadian town like say St. Catharines, or Regina, or Abbotsford (I have no idea where you are). The myth it is $1000 a month to live like a king is a myth.
Remember too to include in your calculations of housing expenses the cost of the security deposit, which in the DR can be many months worth in advance. Also too factor in the possibility that you may not recover that deposit money or have difficulty recovering it from the owner -- an occurence more common in the DR than most like to admit.
Keith R said:
By law, when you sign a rental contract you are only allowed to charge 1 month rent and 2 months of deposit ( 2 x rent extra ).
The best is to "live" up the deposit and most owners agree with that, as they have already spent it!! This provides planning in moving out as well of course!
Maybe so, but the reality often can be different. I've heard of landlords in DR demanding (and getting) up to 6 months as deposit.carina said:
I myself paid
3 months deposit and one month upfront, BUT, we have had no problems dealing with the owner and he owns/runs several different businesses in town - we've been there for 7 months now.
We'll see what happens if we decide to move out in 5 months ...... I like the place so we may have another year to decide what to do, when the time comes we'll probably just live out the three months rent - seems like the easiest option all-round.
Stay well,
Amy
3 months deposit and one month upfront, BUT, we have had no problems dealing with the owner and he owns/runs several different businesses in town - we've been there for 7 months now.
We'll see what happens if we decide to move out in 5 months ...... I like the place so we may have another year to decide what to do, when the time comes we'll probably just live out the three months rent - seems like the easiest option all-round.
Stay well,
Amy
Rent in DR
Thank you everyone; you've all been very helpful.
I'll look around and plan on about $500US a month. This is still very cheap compared to what I pay in New Jersey.
I just wanted some feedback before I got some quotes. I'm always concerned about disclosing that I'm from the US when in DR so they don't automatically assume I'm super rich; I'm mixed and speak spanish so it's hard to tell.
Thank you everyone; you've all been very helpful.
I'll look around and plan on about $500US a month. This is still very cheap compared to what I pay in New Jersey.
I just wanted some feedback before I got some quotes. I'm always concerned about disclosing that I'm from the US when in DR so they don't automatically assume I'm super rich; I'm mixed and speak spanish so it's hard to tell.
Keith R said:
I agree, I have also heard horror stories..
That is why I wrote my posting, very few are aware of that there is a law around this, and the landlords calculate gringos don?t know...
Usually though, if someone says .. but the law says max 2 deposits and 1 rent, they go directly "ok.."
So can I go back now and ask for my extra months deposit?carina said:I agree, I have also heard horror stories..
That is why I wrote my posting, very few are aware of that there is a law around this, and the landlords calculate gringos don?t know...
Usually though, if someone says .. but the law says max 2 deposits and 1 rent, they go directly "ok.."
Stay well,
Amy
amy2761 said:So can I go back now and ask for my extra months deposit?
Stay well,
Amy
That I have no idea about. Basically you could, but I guess the landlord will be upset as you already paid..
The law says 2 deposits and 1 rent MAX.
And the deposits are not to be touched by the landlord , they are to be at an account in a bank or at the lawyer who did the contract..
Of course reality is different and they are usually spent..but never the less, that is the law.
Deposits can ( again, by law ) only be taken from, when the renter leaves the apartment to cover any damages caused ( and that should be clearly stated in the agreement what that is) by the renter that the renter is responsible for.
Cessie said:
I rented a 2 bedroom Dominican apartment. It costs me 7000 pesos a month. I can get my own hot water heater and inversol if I want. It includes electric.
carina said:That I have no idea about. Basically you could, but I guess the landlord will be upset as you already paid..
The law says 2 deposits and 1 rent MAX.
And the deposits are not to be touched by the landlord , they are to be at an account in a bank or at the lawyer who did the contract..
Of course reality is different and they are usually spent..but never the less, that is the law.
Deposits can ( again, by law ) only be taken from, when the renter leaves the apartment to cover any damages caused ( and that should be clearly stated in the agreement what that is) by the renter that the renter is responsible for.
Was just joking really - I think it's ok as this guy knows some of our friends and seems reasonable ..... like I said we'll probably end up living the three months out and just save up the rent money for the next deposit.
jimmydr said:
The cost of renting an apartment all depends, as someone wrote before.
residencial apartment or is it a "gringo-complex", location, furnished or not etc etc...
In Puerto Plata you get a 2 bedroom residencial for 6400 incl. cable and hot water and exc. electricity. This is a residencial, long term apt. in Torre Alta.
The new building, just across Supermercado Jose Luis, with gate and watchman cost 8500 for a 3 bedroom, excl. electricity.
There are 2 apartments on Louis Ginebra, also 3 bedroom, completely new.
Cost 10000 same conditions.
I live in a house downtown, I pay 5000 per month, but pay my own electricity (about 700 per month ) and cable ( 400 )
On 12 de Julio there is nice 2 bedroom out for rent, 4500 per month.
In Atlantico, some friends of mine, just rented a nice 3 bedroom house with patio, a nice backyard with fruit trees, garage, 100 meters to the beach by fot... Their rent is 11.000, excl. lights, but includes cable.
All the above examples are long term, for people living here.
But even if this might seem cheap, there is still a cost of living here that becomes high in the end.
Adding food, school costs, transportation, phone/computer lines etc etc,
money is needed to live nice..
residencial apartment or is it a "gringo-complex", location, furnished or not etc etc...
In Puerto Plata you get a 2 bedroom residencial for 6400 incl. cable and hot water and exc. electricity. This is a residencial, long term apt. in Torre Alta.
The new building, just across Supermercado Jose Luis, with gate and watchman cost 8500 for a 3 bedroom, excl. electricity.
There are 2 apartments on Louis Ginebra, also 3 bedroom, completely new.
Cost 10000 same conditions.
I live in a house downtown, I pay 5000 per month, but pay my own electricity (about 700 per month ) and cable ( 400 )
On 12 de Julio there is nice 2 bedroom out for rent, 4500 per month.
In Atlantico, some friends of mine, just rented a nice 3 bedroom house with patio, a nice backyard with fruit trees, garage, 100 meters to the beach by fot... Their rent is 11.000, excl. lights, but includes cable.
All the above examples are long term, for people living here.
But even if this might seem cheap, there is still a cost of living here that becomes high in the end.
Adding food, school costs, transportation, phone/computer lines etc etc,
money is needed to live nice..
You are right, those rents are cheap! It seems to me that everything else would depend on your lifestyle and how much you eat. Plus, if you have children, paying for a private school. In addition, health insurance, but I've read that is not expensive. So after reading a lot of related posts, it seems to me that if you look for what you want, you'll find it. Carina, you provide a lot of good information. But, I am curious as to why you, being from Sweden, decided to live in the DR. I see you like it and have adjusted well.