Cost of Living Santiago 2020-2021

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
This new thread will cover the updated cost of living expenses to be expected for new or potential residents from feed-back from actual residents in the Province of Santiago main areas.

Please detail location, area, community or/and neighborhood and then the following in a descending order:

*All amounts posted are in RD Pesos

City: Santiago
Area: El Dorado
Comm/Neigh: Las Dianas 1
Dwelling: Apartment
Type: Rental
Rent: $21,000
Dist: 3 bed/3 baths/KT/ LR/ DR/ balcony/ service /laundry area
Other: Tinaco/inverter
Area: 167 Mt2
Parking: 2 car assigned
Community type: Gated / Security/ Cistern
HOA: $1,500 Month (included in rent)
Elec Circuit: 24 hours circuit
Edenorte Bill Average: $850 no AC / $1,450 AC
Water Bill Average: $1,350
Cell Claro 2 phones: $2,150
Internet Fiber Claro: $2,463
Cable TV: removed for non-use (streaming)
TV Streaming: $1,450
LPG home: $11,000 every 7 to 8 months
Bottled water 5gl: 6 a month @ $45 each $270
Food for 2: $25,000 plus minus
Car expenses: $8,000 comb gas/Lpg
Insurance ARS: Both covered by job policy

These are fixed expenses, atop which to add other discretionary expenses of daily life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: campesinadeatl

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Some examples of purchases at a local supermarket over time spread:
 

Attachments

  • 185F7BF5-4910-4FE9-B834-BA5AFF79BF86.jpeg
    185F7BF5-4910-4FE9-B834-BA5AFF79BF86.jpeg
    2.3 MB · Views: 232
  • 24E0DB79-140D-4D5C-B51E-A51C00A43D26.jpeg
    24E0DB79-140D-4D5C-B51E-A51C00A43D26.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 231
  • 0C08D602-36B4-4159-A92E-6632F275497A.jpeg
    0C08D602-36B4-4159-A92E-6632F275497A.jpeg
    1.7 MB · Views: 211
  • 450B270E-9A1C-42E0-8BF6-62CE26A5AC2A.jpeg
    450B270E-9A1C-42E0-8BF6-62CE26A5AC2A.jpeg
    1.7 MB · Views: 203
  • AB74D1B9-DE96-4BF3-8FF9-A2F4F755DD0B.jpeg
    AB74D1B9-DE96-4BF3-8FF9-A2F4F755DD0B.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 210

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,679
7,928
113
City: Santiago
Area: Central
Comm/Neigh: (that's a bit much to share publicly)
Dwelling: Apartment
Type: Rental
Rent: $7,500
Dist: 1 bed/1 bath/KT/ LR/ DR/ rooftop view of the city/laundry area
Other: Tinaco
Area: 650 Square feet
Parking: 1 under ground parking space
Community type: Security Key Code Entry/ Cistern
No - HOA
Elec Circuit: 24 hours circuit
Edenorte Bill Average: $650 no AC
Water Bill Average: $910
Cell Altice: 1 phone $1,000
Internet Fiber Claro: $ 2,499
Internet Streaming/ No Cable TV: removed for non-use (streaming)
Electric Stove/ no gas we have electricity and water here 24/7
Bottled water 5gl: 6 a month @ $45 each $270 (give or take about the same)
Food for 1: $15,000 plus minus
Coffee for 1: $500+
Car expenses: $0
Transportation Expenses: $600
Insurance: $2,000
Prices on some items have almost doubled since the start of this pandemic.
Example:
In February of this year I was paying 189 pesos for a 64 fl.oz of Ocean Spray Canberry Juice.
That same bottle in La Sirena now cost me 320 pesos.
 

jinty05

Bronze
Feb 11, 2005
925
38
48
City: Santiago
Area: Central
Comm/Neigh: Monte Verde
Dwelling: House
Type: Rental
Rent: $37,000
Dist: 4 bed/3 bath/KT/ LR/ DR/ rooftop view of the city/laundry area
Other: Cistern
Area: 4000 Square feet
Parking: 6 vehicles
Community type: Security Cistern
No - HOA
Elec Circuit: 24 hours circuit
Edenorte Bill Average: $6,000 with AC
Water Bill Average: $4,200
Cell Altice: 3 phone $7,000
Internet Fiber Claro: $ 5,300
Internet Streaming/ No Cable TV: removed for non-use (streaming)
Gas we have electricity and water here 24/7
Bottled water 5gl: 18 a month @ $45 each $810 (give or take about the same)
Food for 4: $15,000 plus minus
Restaurants: $30,000+
Car expenses: $9,000
Transportation Expenses: $500
Insurance: $7,000
 

jinty05

Bronze
Feb 11, 2005
925
38
48
Amended as Food was originally per week


City: Santiago
Area: Central
Comm/Neigh: Monte Verde
Dwelling: House
Type: Rental
Rent: $37,000
Dist: 4 bed/3 bath/KT/ LR/ DR/ rooftop view of the city/laundry area
Other: Cistern
Area: 4000 Square feet
Parking: 6 vehicles
Community type: Security Cistern
No - HOA
Elec Circuit: 24 hours circuit
Edenorte Bill Average: $6,000 with AC
Water Bill Average: $4,200
Cell Altice: 3 phone $7,000
Internet Fiber Claro: $ 5,300
Internet Streaming/ No Cable TV: removed for non-use (streaming)
Gas we have electricity and water here 24/7
Bottled water 5gl: 18 a month @ $45 each $810 (give or take about the same)
Food for 4: $60,000 plus minus
Restaurants: $30,000+
Car expenses: $9,000
Transportation Expenses: $500
Insurance: $7,000
 

tht

Master of my own fate.
Oct 10, 2002
847
154
63
Planet Earth
Amended as Food was originally per week


City: Santiago
Area: Central
Comm/Neigh: Monte Verde
Dwelling: House
Type: Rental
Rent: $37,000
Dist: 4 bed/3 bath/KT/ LR/ DR/ rooftop view of the city/laundry area
Other: Cistern
Area: 4000 Square feet
Parking: 6 vehicles
Community type: Security Cistern
No - HOA
Elec Circuit: 24 hours circuit
Edenorte Bill Average: $6,000 with AC
Water Bill Average: $4,200
Cell Altice: 3 phone $7,000
Internet Fiber Claro: $ 5,300
Internet Streaming/ No Cable TV: removed for non-use (streaming)
Gas we have electricity and water here 24/7
Bottled water 5gl: 18 a month @ $45 each $810 (give or take about the same)
Food for 4: $60,000 plus minus
Restaurants: $30,000+
Car expenses: $9,000
Transportation Expenses: $500
Insurance: $7,000
Adding all up that's $ 166,810 per month for four people, around 720 USD PP (roughly). Correct me if I'm off here. Food cost as expected rent less than I would expect in Santiago.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Pretty much figures are consistent when taking family size into criteria. 🧍🏻‍♂️ 👫 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
Given how fast neighborhoods are transforming lately all around Santiago, my choice of not buying again and just renting made all sense.

These are just rough numbers, without much of the peripheral expenses one will have anyhow.
But it provides an idea to new and already residents in the DR, of what to expect down the line depending on choices made.

Let me be clear: I live very well and lack nothing within this rough budget.
The activities of a busier person can impact budget greatly, including pets and socializing.🥳💃🕺👯‍♀️🐶

My old expenses were incredibly higher, compare to my new non-attached life.🧍🏻‍♂️
I also gave up stuff I’d never before deemed plausible to ditch.(like Tide detergent in pods)
😎


Recreational activities in the DR can really drive a hole into any budget.

With COVID-19 restrictions, my travel expenses have come to a screeching halt. Barely there.

Buying a car here, is like getting a new mother-in-law. No matter how you spin it, it comes back to hunt you. Buy new, as it’s the only way to know it hasn’t been abused or worked-on 🥸
and they keep a good resale value, if you change about every two to three years. Once warranty and included service stops, so does the car finds a new owner.

I keep a “spare” old, very old early Toyota 90’s car to do stuff like loading cargo, etc... I just keep seguro de ley on that one. It goes, then it goes!

We all recall we used to have a budget item called entertainment. But that was wiped out after this COVID-19.
It has now been replaced by just “disposable” left-over cash at hand from our monthly budgets...
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Why is the water so expensive there? and the internet as well.

Water is really not that expensive in the DR. Fees to municipality are high, so too residual water.

Take a look. The actual billing for each Cubic Meter M3 of water is only$138.00 RD Pesos.
Residual water charges are higher than they should be, not to mention added city hall fees.
 

Attachments

  • E9C44672-8B01-4B2B-B558-3655F2665FE8.jpeg
    E9C44672-8B01-4B2B-B558-3655F2665FE8.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 178
  • 77B93B5C-F404-4189-BB40-9B7F5B5CF426.jpeg
    77B93B5C-F404-4189-BB40-9B7F5B5CF426.jpeg
    484.7 KB · Views: 181

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Adding all up that's $ 166,810 per month for four people, around 720 USD PP (roughly). Correct me if I'm off here. Food cost as expected rent less than I would expect in Santiago.


Rent rates varies a lot in DR. It depends on area and type of residence. What they offer as added value, fully furnished or not, etc...

Lots of expats have created a small problem in some areas. They skewed the price points because they are willing to pay more as asking prices increase.

All in all, living in a fully detached home is way more expensive than living in an apartment. Expenses are much higher there.

For example when you say rents are less than you expected here, these rates are on the high-end or above average. Like I said, the rental market is skewed a bit.

You can totally find lower rents all around the city and in most cases right within the same area. It comes down to are you willing to wait and hassle more, or you just want to get it over with quick as you need.

I spent a “whole” one day on my rental project. Went to see with RE agent and by the third home made the choice, at asking price.
Time was not what I had in mind to waste on this endeavor... Just like when we go buy underwear, if you catch my grift.
 

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
6,427
5,561
113
Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
Rent rates varies a lot in DR. It depends on area and type of residence. What they offer as added value, fully furnished or not, etc...

Lots of expats have created a small problem in some areas. They skewed the price points because they are willing to pay more as asking prices increase.

All in all, living in a fully detached home is way more expensive than living in an apartment. Expenses are much higher there.

For example when you say rents are less than you expected here, these rates are on the high-end or above average. Like I said, the rental market is skewed a bit.

You can totally find lower rents all around the city and in most cases right within the same area. It comes down to are you willing to wait and hassle more, or you just want to get it over with quick as you need.

I spent a “whole” one day on my rental project. Went to see with RE agent and by the third home made the choice, at asking price.
Time was not what I had in mind to waste on this endeavor... Just like when we go buy underwear, if you catch my grift.
Completely agree. I'm paying $25k pesos/month in Boca Chica for a furnished 3 bedroom 1.5 bath detached home. My food budget is less than what I see on here but it's only me and my kid and he is pretty good about not asking for the moon or wanting to go out every night. But still, try renting a home in the USA for $440. You may get an unfurnished basement in Podunk Arkansas.
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
1,535
512
113
try renting a home in the USA for $440. You may get an unfurnished basement in Podunk Arkansas.

I think you can't really compare the US/Europe with the DR in this sense. Yes, I fully believe in what you get with that sum, but the same goes for Europe. For what we (family of 4) pay here, we get a garden shed in Europe... And we live in one of the best areas in POP and really have no trouble with luz/agua/internet... Then again, here, we get cr*p roads (well, they have been improved greatly recently, but still), questionable infrastructure and zero employment opportunities out there compared to US/EU... Where the living standards are higher, there you pay more...
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,679
7,928
113
I think you can't really compare the US/Europe with the DR in this sense. Yes, I fully believe in what you get with that sum, but the same goes for Europe. For what we (family of 4) pay here, we get a garden shed in Europe... And we live in one of the best areas in POP and really have no trouble with luz/agua/internet... Then again, here, we get cr*p roads (well, they have been improved greatly recently, but still), questionable infrastructure and zero employment opportunities out there compared to US/EU... Where the living standards are higher, there you pay more...
Living standards vs quality of life.
Quality of life here is much better
than (pick a big city) the USA or Europe.
Much safer too.
 

caribmike

Gold
Jul 9, 2009
6,808
202
63
City: Santiago
Area: Los Alamos
Dwelling: Penthouse
Type: Rental
Rent: $21,500
Dist: 5 bed/4 baths/KT/ 2LR/ 1DR/ balcony/ terrace /laundry area
Other: Tinaco/inverter
Area: not sure Mt2
Parking: 2 car assigned
Community type: Gated / Security/ Cistern/Inverter
HOA: $1,500
Elec Circuit: 24 hours circuit
Edenorte Bill Average: $4000 sometimes AC but 4 PC's almost 16 hours per day in use
Water Bill Average: $1,500
Cell Claro 2 phones: $5,000
Internet Fiber + Cable TV Claro: $4,700
Internet Altice mobile: $2,700
Bottled water 5gl: minimum 20+ a month @ $45 each $900
Food for 3 adult, 1 kid, 1 Toddler, 1 Infant: $50,000 plus minus
Car expenses: $8,000 comb gas
Car finance: $39,000 includes insurance full
Insurance ARS Palic Group insurance: $12,000
Dental: $7,500 month for various braces and their monthly service
Colegios: $12,000