I would like to move to Sosua

[Rocky]

Here're the facts:

The majority of the tourists that visit Sosua are poor backpacker types that don't have much to spend on dinner out. The one's that do have a couple of bucks generally will spend it on lunch at Sosua beach, so if I were thinking about a restuarant I'd consider starting VERY small and locate somewhere with high foot traffic.

Whatever you read about costs here double them. Seriously dude it costs a lot to have a decent standard of living here.

After you pay for the house here are examples of 'real' costs per month to consider:

In $RD

$5000.00 - maid (one that you can trust)
$8,000 - $15,000 - electricity depending on the size of your house
$20,000 - food (not including eating out) If you're Italian you'll need more
$5,000 - family of 3 (good insurance)
$5,000 - Transportation (public) and incidentals
=====
$43,000 - x 33 = $1300.00 per month US

I spend a lot more than this a month and there's only two of us. Of course I don't eat rice, chicken and beans every day......

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Big question... will you have a car? - It's big money here to buy one and insure it properly.

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If you're prepared to live in the Dominican style then you'll need a LOT less than the above, however most people coming here aren't prepared to do that and unless you're married to a Dominican it's probably not advised to try.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Jack

Although your post could be useful to the OP,

The majority of the tourists that visit Sosua are poor backpacker types that don't have much to spend on dinner out.

is incorrect.
We actually get very few backpacker types, as compared to most world destinations. The average tourist may not be as wealthy as those who go to the Bahamas, but they are far from being poor backpacker types.

 

[Chip00]

Hornet

First of all welcome to DR1. Also, you can recieve a lot of good advice if you search the threads. As far as moving to the DR and trying to maintain the "status quo" more or less of how you are accustomed I have one word for you - income. If you can figure out a way to have a decent income you can make it all happen. That is exactly what I've done so it is possible.

The problem with the DR is if you plan on working for somebody you more that likely will not make the money you need because of a tight market with all the competition.

If you start you're own business - that is another story altogether. Tehn the next question is what to do. There are a lot of options. I myself am running my small business in Floridas out of my home in Santiago and travel frequently. However, it sounds like you would like to start a business here in the DR and live off of it. It can happen but you have to do your homework, ie, market research and capital investment to start a business. If a lot of the posters on this site give you "negative" advice it is because they know it's not easy - but remember, they are here and surviving so it is possible.

I am married to a Dominican women and we have two kids with another one on the way. We live relatively comfortable by Dominican standards but normal US middle class standards. See link for my itemized costs including sending my daughter to a private bilingual school, post #28.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/polls/56209-happy-sad-dr-3.html

Of course if you have enough capital to start you business and buy your house and car right of the bat you can live reasonably well here for about US$1500 on a monthly basis.

As we plan on staying here I am looking at what business to get into and am considering importation. It can be a lucrative business for sure and a lot of wealthy Dominicans do this. You can send me a private message if you would like ti know more.

Good luck

 

[SURFUP69]

Me and my 2 brother's and good friend go to Sosua 1-2 times a year for 2 weeks each time. Without the air cost we spend around 4,000 each for the room,eating out all the time,and drinks and lady friends. I've been going there now for over 18 year's now. When we go there we go all out, because we know the business in Sosua need our money and everyone else that go there to stay open. If everyone stay in there rooms and had there food and drinks there would not be the hot and crazy place like Sosua to go too.

 

[dv8]

chip00,
any newbie has to know it's VERY HARD to make a living here unless you have loads of cash. hence the warnings and "negative" advice...
of course we all manage (although i would not without minovio) but with all success stories there is also lots of those who failed.
i think OP does not have enough money to start. i believe he mentioned 50k, which is nowhere near enough to buy a home (mortgage free) and a car AND start a business.
since i am not a "money person" and i know zip about business i cannot advice how much is needed. but i am realistic and down to earth and i KNOW, it takes more than 50k when you have a family on your back...

 

[Lambada]

If a lot of the posters on this site give you "negative" advice it is because they know it's not easy - but remember, they are here and surviving so it is possible..................


Of course if you have enough capital to start you business and buy your house and car right of the bat you can live reasonably well here for about US$1500 on a monthly basis.

And many of the people 'here and surviving' are retired, have already accumulated their savings and are not running a business here. I think I'd be prepared to debate the standard of lifestyle for 3 people on US$1500 a month. :cheeky: Even with the exclusions you mention Chip, it still has to cover food, electricity & other utilities, fuel, domestic staff (if employing same), insurance, school fees, medicine, phone/internet etc etc. That isn't including 'luxuries' like eating out. In my opinion it would barely cover essentials.

 

[Chip00]

And many of the people 'here and surviving' are retired, have already accumulated their savings and are not running a business here. I think I'd be prepared to debate the standard of lifestyle for 3 people on US$1500 a month. :cheeky: Even with the exclusions you mention Chip, it still has to cover food, electricity & other utilities, fuel, domestic staff (if employing same), insurance, school fees, medicine, phone/internet etc etc. That isn't including 'luxuries' like eating out. In my opinion it would barely cover essentials.

Please see my post # 5 of the following link where I itemized my costs. This is based on my costs for the last year not including "startup" which I explained in my earlier post.

http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/58745-relocation.html

The total comes up to about $1100 monthly. Of course one needs to take into account "unexpected etc. costs" but these aren't costs that are incurred on a monthly basis. Anybody who decides to create a budget should know they have to have at least some amount for "contigencies".

Also, Lambada, from my understanding the North Coast cost of living is more that that of the Santiago area. And finally, as the wife is Dom we eat a lot of rice and beans but do mix up the variety at least once a week with something different

 

[Chip00]

chip00,
any newbie has to know it's VERY HARD to make a living here unless you have loads of cash. hence the warnings and "negative" advice...
of course we all manage (although i would not without minovio) but with all success stories there is also lots of those who failed.
i think OP does not have enough money to start. i believe he mentioned 50k, which is nowhere near enough to buy a home (mortgage free) and a car AND start a business.
since i am not a "money person" and i know zip about business i cannot advice how much is needed. but i am realistic and down to earth and i KNOW, it takes more than 50k when you have a family on your back...

I missed the part about 50k and that amount may be too small amount to start with. It will depend on a lot of factors number one being source and amount of income as I stated in my post. It will behoove the OP to do a realistic market analysis of what he wants to do and then put all of the numbers together to see if it works. Also, my intention isn't to dismiss others peoples advice but only to state the facts as it is possible to come here and make it as I have and many others too.

 

[laurapasinifan]

I have a list of the following recurring expenses for a family of 3 with one child going to a private but Spanish language school:

School for one child, child's Allowance, Medical insurance, Auto insurance, garbage collection, Internet/telephone, electricity, gardener, water, Cable TV, food, restaurants, swimming pool items, Gasoline, Propane gas.

Our total for these recurring expenses is $1,500US per month with no house payment since we own the house outright. Adding whatever else you would need for travel or special schools and a slush/emergency fund on top of that would give you an idea of your expenses here.

you know how few dominicans even make per month what your exspenses are...which dont include automotive costs.. the vehicle nor its cost to operate each month(tires , repairs, tune ups ect) nor is there an item for clothing....

just goes to show, that many dominicans live with out many of the things you listed

bob

 

[Chip00]

you know how few dominicans even make per month what your exspenses are...which dont include automotive costs.. the vehicle nor its cost to operate each month(tires , repairs, tune ups ect) nor is there an item for clothing....

just goes to show, that many dominicans live with out many of the things you listed

bob

You hit the nail on the head. For example, my cunada has been working as a nurse at the "Cabral" and she makes 8k and her husband 6k monthly and they have two children. They have a typical Dom house in Santiago in El Egido.

However, another cunado has to do with 7k a month with a with and three girls and they live in the campo in Moca. Most Dom's will think anything over 10k a month is a pretty decent salary. I can blow through that in a week easily w/o thinking.

 

[Lambada]

Also, Lambada, from my understanding the North Coast cost of living is more that that of the Santiago area. And finally, as the wife is Dom we eat a lot of rice and beans but do mix up the variety at least once a week with something different

Correct. And even on north coast there are differences: probably most people would agree that Cabarete is more expensive than Sosua and Sosua more expensive than Puerto Plata and Puerto Plata more expensive than Santiago............. Go inland somewhere between the two and it'll probably be less expensive.

Your final point is a good one, not so much from the rice and beans issue but from the know-how. Your wife is Dominican, windeguy's wife is Dominican (hope that's not a state secret, windeguy :cheeky: ). They know what the prices should be. So do I, now. But picture Mrs. Hornet, she won't know to start with. This is a foreign couple (& child): you have to price it up accordingly.

And I agree with laurapasinifan. Of course many many Dominicans live on far, far less. Had hornet said he was a hippy-adventurer type prepared to sleep under the stars & go totally native then I think we would cost up his lifestyle differently. But 13 years in the financial industry doesn't for me square with a guitar toting hippy happy to gaze at the moon and survive on fresh air, so I was costing it up using a more 'gringo' lifestyle.......

Now hornet you can come on the board & tell me how wrong I am about guessing the sort of lifestyle you'd want............lol

 

[dv8]

i have no idea how those dominicans survive on less. monivio tells me often a whole family lives together so it adds up, the wages of five or six people will be enough to feed ten or more.
but no gringo comes here to live in a wooden shack, sleep on palm leaves and eat rice and beans.

 

[hornet]

I said 1000/1300$ a month considering I have no mortgage or rent. If I have an assured income of around 1500$ a month I gathered, from what you people said, that we could easily make it.

The 50K I was referring to, was for the initial investment in the business only. 50k to start-up a restaurant and hopefully make it a success. That would be additional income on top of my 1500$. So if the business is a success, I would have extra income from that. But we wouldn't be in the **** after a couple of months.

 

[Chip00]

I said 1000/1300$ a month considering I have no mortgage or rent. If I have an assured income of around 1500$ a month I gathered, from what you people said, that we could easily make it.

The 50K I was referring to, was for the initial investment in the business only. 50k to start-up a restaurant and hopefully make it a success. That would be additional income on top of my 1500$. So if the business is a success, I would have extra income from that. But we wouldn't be in the **** after a couple of months.

Best of luck then. Let us know when and where the restaurant is and I'm sure plenty ofDR1's would love to stop by and check out the food.

Can we assume that you will have Italian food? I hope so - I miss a good lasagna and my wife likes manicotti.

 

[hornet]

Best of luck then. Let us know when and where the restaurant is and I'm sure plenty ofDR1's would love to stop by and check out the food.

Can we assume that you will have Italian food? I hope so - I miss a good lasagna and my wife likes manicotti.

It's still early days but that is the plan, italian food in a nice ambiance and not too expensive. I would like to create something nice that people will enjoy and not pay an eye for.

 

[Mirador]

It's still early days but that is the plan, italian food in a nice ambiance and not too expensive. I would like to create something nice that people will enjoy and not pay an eye for.

I assume you have the name for the place: The Hornet's Nest

 

[Lambada]

Well, you've seen the advice above about not setting up a business until you've lived here long enough to really understand how things work. Go slowly. Do your homework.

I wish you well.