Living Costs in the Dominican Republic

[Richard Alberto]

Omar, Puerto Rico is a good example, albeit, better infrastructure overall. Here in DR, the power goes off for HOURS and 30% of the folks are on the "poor" economic level not seen in the States or PR.

Actually your gf, gets paid on the high side for an average worker, for I know a Metro Express executive who gets paid 30,000pesos monthly or less than $187US a week before taxes, traveling, house expenses, etc etc. This, and he has a GREAT job by most local observers and standards.

People party hard, fuk a lot, have a lot of babies and hope someone (family or lover(s)) send them a stipend to help out. Because if not, it would be very very tough.

In NYC, there is WIC, welfare, food stamps and section 8, to help people out. No such thing in the DR, bro. That's why local men for the most part want no part of responsibilities for caring for a separated child. Hence, this is where a man like you may be a good catch. You feel me? It's not personal Bro, it's a culture of hunger.

You may provide rice and beans but the minute another can provide rice, beans and some chicken, you're history and when that dries up, you'll be the first person called.
Like I said, nothing personal, just survival for real.

Anyways, it is not Fantasy Island for those that live here, only for those that vacation and mess around for 2 weeks at a time.

 

[Omar_NYC]

^ Yeah.. It seems that way in a nutshell.

Well... The lady friend hasn't received a penny from me in months... But we're still talking... And she's still waiting for me to plan my next trip there... We'll see how things go.

I really do feel bad for the people there though... Poverty is very apparent... And I spent most of my time in the commercial district at Avenida Abraham between 27 de Febrero and John F Kennedy and I still saw lot of it there.

During my stay there I drove to what I thought was Zona Colonial to check that out... There's a section between 27 de Febrero and Avenida George Washington at Avenida Juan Duarte that was very shocking for me to witness.... Barrio unlike anything I've seen before... Very run-down buildings... Garbage everywhere... The sidewalks littered with counterfeit goods for sale... Several traffic lights were out of service... Spaghetti mess of traffic.... It was chaos... And people continue to reproduce and bring those offspring into that situation.... I seriously don't get it.

 

[dv8]

I just don't get it... How do things cost almost just as much there.... electric, Internet, phone, etc etc... as they do in New York, yet the incomes are extremely less there than they are here?

easy. there is one single "thing" that is really cheap in DR: dominicans. all labour is very cheap here and that lowers some of the costs of living. those with lower income live, like you pointed out in your post, with some help. from family, neighbours, government. yes, yes, the government helps by subsidizing costs of power and water. well, more like putting that burden on idiots like us, who pay bills.

in any case, services are cheap: maid, gardener, nanny for kids, hairdresser, car mechanic. so are local goods like fruits and veg, especially if you buy in the market or directly from farmers who pass all neighbourhoods in their pickup trucks, selling fresh produce. but anything imported is almost a luxury. some things bear few hundred percent markup!

and there is one more thing here... when i first arrived to DR we lived on about 25k pesos. and it was ok: we paid bills, rent and had decent enough food to eat. the more money we made the more money we spent it's a trap! you can never get to save anything...

 

[Omar_NYC]

^ YES! The vegetable truck.. GOD that guy was annoying!! At my lady friend's place there were two of them who would slowly drive past her place... with a loudspeaker... announcing what he's selling and for how much.... TENEMOS YUUCAAAAA... PLATANOOOO... TOOOOMAATEEEEE.... Wow I don't miss that LOL

It's indeed a trap.. I hear you.. I used to be the same way.. Then my income started slowly creeping up and at the same time that happened, I put together an Excel spreadsheet detailing the money that came in and the money that went out, and that was a sobering wake-up call for me to really start shedding the unnecessary crap and focus on growing my nest egg... or my next living situation... or etc... I'm a cheapskate by both skill and nature, but my generous side often wins. At least it clearly won a lot when I was in DR.

 

[JMB773]

^ Yeah.. It seems that way in a nutshell.

Well... The lady friend hasn't received a penny from me in months... But we're still talking... And she's still waiting for me to plan my next trip there... We'll see how things go.

I really do feel bad for the people there though... Poverty is very apparent... And I spent most of my time in the commercial district at Avenida Abraham between 27 de Febrero and John F Kennedy and I still saw lot of it there.

During my stay there I drove to what I thought was Zona Colonial to check that out... There's a section between 27 de Febrero and Avenida George Washington at Avenida Juan Duarte that was very shocking for me to witness.... Barrio unlike anything I've seen before... Very run-down buildings... Garbage everywhere... The sidewalks littered with counterfeit goods for sale... Several traffic lights were out of service... Spaghetti mess of traffic.... It was chaos... And people continue to reproduce and bring those offspring into that situation.... I seriously don't get it.

Omar I have a quick question and please do not take offense, but WHY a Dominican woman in DR??? There are plenty of Dominican women in NYC and he will be a lot easier to date a woman in your own city compared to another country.

I know you want to help and fix things in DR for your lady friend, but this is NOT Omar's war. This is between the Dominican government and its citizens. You have NYC money spend it in New York, don't let what goes on in DR trip your wisdom in NY.

I have a daughter in Santo Domingo, so I am tied to DR in many ways. I send my ex wife around 250USD a week, because when I would send the entire 1000USD in a one time shot all the money will be gone in a 2weeks because when you have a ex husband living in Chicago IL, many Dominicans use my wife like she is an ATM. Its very hard to budget money in DR because so many friends and family members do not have an ex husband that sends 1000USD a month.

If you choose to move or continue on with your girl know that things will always come up regarding money.

 

[Bronxboy]

Omar I have a quick question and please do not take offense, but WHY a Dominican woman in DR??? There are plenty of Dominican women in NYC and he will be a lot easier to date a woman in your own city compared to another country.

No game in NY???....................

 

[Omar_NYC]

Omar I have a quick question and please do not take offense, but WHY a Dominican woman in DR??? There are plenty of Dominican women in NYC and he will be a lot easier to date a woman in your own city compared to another country.

I know you want to help and fix things in DR for your lady friend, but this is NOT Omar's war. This is between the Dominican government and its citizens. You have NYC money spend it in New York, don't let what goes on in DR trip your wisdom in NY.

I have a daughter in Santo Domingo, so I am tied to DR in many ways. I send my ex wife around 250USD a week, because when I would send the entire 1000USD in a one time shot all the money will be gone in a 2weeks because when you have a ex husband living in Chicago IL, many Dominicans use my wife like she is an ATM. Its very hard to budget money in DR because so many friends and family members do not have an ex husband that sends 1000USD a month.

If you choose to move or continue on with your girl know that things will always come up regarding money.

Dominican women in New York do not pay attention to me. At least not the kind of women who look the way she does.

You do not an find attractive, petite, older Dominican woman in New York who isn't already married; whether for love or papers. It's just not possible. Trust me, I've looked. And on occasion just out of curiosity, I still look and have yet to find.

Do you think I wanted to go through the trouble of flying all the way to DR to find love? It must be my obsession with Dominican women. They just don't make them like her over here.

I'm not willing to lose everything just to be with her. I do have my ties in New York; my daughter lives here with my ex and so do my parents. Ideally once my daughter is on her own and she doesn't need my presence as much and my parents are better off, then I would consider my next move, if I make a move to follow my lady friend at all. She also has her kids to think about, and that's one financial burden I refuse to take on by myself for her. Her youngest kid is the same age as mine.

At the end of the day, as I keep mulling this over and over in my head, I know the only plan that makes sense for the next ten years is to be with her whenever I can spend time with her in DR. Once her kids are old enough to be on their own, we can consider making serious plans together; whether that is in DR or New York time will tell.

 

[Richard Alberto]

No game in NY???....................

Dude honestly, the Dominican women in NYC are jaded. So are Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Salvadorian even Asian women. They leave their sensibilities back in the old country. Most young women in NYC of any nationality can't even cook rice. If you are a more mature single gentleman in NYC, why on Earth would you want to get stuck cooking, cleaning etc.
The thing is that many cats meet girls online and the stories commence. They (DR women) treat you well in the kitchen and in bed, the man falls in love and the cycle continues.

I have an old Cuban friend, who while living in DR, married a Dominicana half his age. He said that they all like to fight and fuk and thinks it must be all the platanos they eat. hahaha. But interestingly he said, "if I knew, what I know now, I would have kept dating her". For how long would she have stayed around? Who knows. But an interesting observation, that I don't forget.

PS: He also schooled me on the "Culture of Hunger" thing. So far he's been prophetic.

 

[JMB773]

Dominican women in New York do not pay attention to me. At least not the kind of women who look the way she does.

You do not an find attractive, petite, older Dominican woman in New York who isn't already married; whether for love or papers. It's just not possible. Trust me, I've looked. And on occasion just out of curiosity, I still look and have yet to find.

Do you think I wanted to go through the trouble of flying all the way to DR to find love? It must be my obsession with Dominican women. They just don't make them like her over here.

I'm not willing to lose everything just to be with her. I do have my ties in New York; my daughter lives here with my ex and so do my parents. Ideally once my daughter is on her own and she doesn't need my presence as much and my parents are better off, then I would consider my next move, if I make a move to follow my lady friend at all. She also has her kids to think about, and that's one financial burden I refuse to take on by myself for her. Her youngest kid is the same age as mine.

At the end of the day, as I keep mulling this over and over in my head, I know the only plan that makes sense for the next ten years is to be with her whenever I can spend time with her in DR. Once her kids are old enough to be on their own, we can consider making serious plans together; whether that is in DR or New York time will tell.

What about Puerto Rican women, you don't date them either in NY???

You ever heard that saying " Striking beauty is often DETRIMENTAL" but it seems like you have a plan but what ever you do

PLEASE DO NOT GET HER PREGNANT!!!!

 

[Bronxboy]

Dude honestly, the Dominican women in NYC are jaded. So are Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Salvadorian even Asian women. They leave their sensibilities back in the old country.

Everyone has their opionions.

Oh well...............

 

[Omar_NYC]

Dude honestly, the Dominican women in NYC are jaded. So are Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Salvadorian even Asian women. They leave their sensibilities back in the old country. Most young women in NYC of any nationality can't even cook rice. If you are a more mature single gentleman in NYC, why on Earth would you want to get stuck cooking, cleaning etc.

You hit the nail on the head, precisely why I'm in this predicament.

And I honestly don't expect or even want an always-in-the-kitchen-or-in-bed-fuxin-me kind of wife. I'm happy with a woman who doesn't think like a capitalist; the kind who thinks they deserve the best and can always get it elsewhere if I fall short on their expectations.

 

[Bronxboy]

Where are you guys looking in NY?

Damn. Talk about dry spells (pun inteneded).

A plane ride. A few laughs. Busting a few pipes and back on the plane to NADA?

Money well spent? NOT.......................................

But again, to each it's own.

 

[Omar_NYC]

What about Puerto Rican women, you don't date them either in NY???

You ever heard that saying " Striking beauty is often DETRIMENTAL" but it seems like you have a plan but what ever you do

PLEASE DO NOT GET HER PREGNANT!!!!

I had myself a vasectomy when I was 25 years old. I've been happily shooting blanks for years.

I've had my share of Puertorican women. To me they rank a little lower than the overall singles cesspool in New York. I'll pass.

 

[Bronxboy]

I'll pass.

You do not know what you are missing!!!!! lol

 

[Omar_NYC]

A plane ride. A few laughs. Busting a few pipes and back on the plane to NADA?

I knew this when I paid for my passport, plane ticket and hotel.

You're right.

Not that I stopped looking in New York. In the meantime, this is as good as it gets for me.

 

[Omar_NYC]

You do not know what you are missing!!!!! lol

Maybe you've had a better run with Puertorican women than me. In my experience, too much trouble for very little reward.

 

[Bronxboy]

Maybe you've had a better run with Puertorican women than me. In my experience, too much trouble for very little reward.

Yeah, they make you work hard at times for the snatch. The interenet days have made it easy for women to take a step back and use their MANUAL imagination (lol) and make money at it tooooo.

 

[Richard Alberto]

You hit the nail on the head, precisely why I'm in this predicament.

And I honestly don't expect or even want an always-in-the-kitchen-or-in-bed-fuxin-me kind of wife. I'm happy with a woman who doesn't think like a capitalist; the kind who thinks they deserve the best and can always get it elsewhere if I fall short on their expectations.

Omar, to be honest and I may be ignorant but you can be the life saver that a local Dominicana is searching, not searching praying for. This can make you a happy man for a long time. But even the "best" ones are somehow raised to be slick and that blows my mind. The minute they see you're pussy whipped or loose with your cash, you are thru and you'll have a whole village living off you.

This is where I'm gonna get laced into but from my observation of others:
You have to slightly be a bastard, emphasis on slightly, and not fall into the estranjero pendejo category. Challenge her and don't always praise her for every single fuking thing. ALWAYS value yourself more than you value her. Look at her and shake your head regularly when she says or does something offbeat. Cause a lot of these estrajero cats, loose it and make them feel more important than themselves. Anyways, you are grown, you know what I'm saying.

 

[Omar_NYC]

LOL

At least you're only up against their manual imagination. In New York, you're up against a line of men willing to play hardball. Here they know they have a good selection.

 

[Richard Alberto]

You do not know what you are missing!!!!! lol

Please Bro. I was told once by a beautiful young Italian girl in NY: "what happens to Puerto Rican women when they get off the plane?" I said "what do you mean?" she said they transform from gorgeous women in Puerto Rico that she's seen, to these fat ass out of shape, with attitude women in NY. I had to laugh because it's true.