Living Costs in the Dominican Republic

[dv8]

I developed a budget before moving here based upon experience visiting (1 week, 2 weeks, 2 weeks, 2 months). I live that budget. I have had unexpected medical costs too.
Did I plan too well?

you planned wisely. kudos. many do not calculate in any emergency, they leave no room for error,they have no savings to fall on.

as far as the costs, don't be surprised. different people have different needs and expectations so their budgets may be world apart. there are also some folks who live well and may spend, say, 2-3k dollars a month but they virtually spend everything they make.

 

[tommeyers]

Ccccccccccc unlike you no women?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It saves money and patience too. I will live longer. My medical costs were dental (crown reglue),a colonoscopy (600 with lab etc), stitches for sticking my head in a ceiling fan.

It is true that my life is simple. I have bees, make electronics, write software, attend astronomical society, study Spanish, garden, read literature and think. I really do enjoy life here.

 

[drescape24]

When I spend a month in town I can live very well off of $1500. My condo fees are $250 and electric is $30. I don't eat at the larger expensive place and drink what I want. I believe its all about downsizing and adjusting to buying food daily. That's some of the things that works for me.

drescape24

 

[texan]

I have a lot of people ask me how much it cost to stay a month here or live here. I think anyone would have to make a list and figure out what lifestyle there are going to live. Or they going to pay cash for a lot of stuff up front. People know some of the habits of course it could change if they are not working.

Alcohol, cigarettes, cables, internet, data plan for cell phone, car, motorcycle, going out to party, married, single, kids, no kids, side trips to other parts of the island, sports, gym, electricity, what size house or apartment, going to the beach, having friends visit a lot, etc.

Going out a lot can add up. I would think someone who retired younger would be going out at lot at least at first. Then when their friends come in town they would probably spend a lot of money. Maybe they went out once or twice a week at home while working. now they aren't working they might go out 4 or 5 times a week.

Do you want a car for good MPG or something larger?

You could be pretty active and live a cheap lifestyle. going to the gym, beach, bicycle, not drink a lot. Or you could go out and be a big spender going thru a pension check fast and waiting for the next pension check to come in.

You can figure out some of your fixed cost such as rent. It would take a little while to see about you spending money for going to drink and eat. Not sure how much an avid golfer and or fisherman would spend here. But I think saltwater fishing is not going to be cheap or green fees.

I knew two guys who hung out a lot. I think one paid 13,000 for an apartment and the other 18,000. They both had cars and had some similar expenses besides going out. One would eat at home a lot more, didn't drink a lot, didn't smoke at all and went out about half as much. There fixed cost weren't that different. But at the end of the month one was spending a lot more money. This was just going out eating and drinking and he spent a lot more money. He didn't have an expensive hobbies like fishing, golf and didn't take many trips to other parts of the island.

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

I'll be getting a 3 bed/3 bath condo in Bella Visita for $1500 a month including furnished & utilities (Gas, Water, Sewer, Trash). I am getting Phone/TV/Internet from Claro (10MB/2) for $5800RD aka $134USD and Edenorte (electric) for approx $3000RD aka $69USD/mo.

For food, meds, etc I haven't gone that. But I will be spending all my money using USD dollars so that way I can purchase things in DR cheaper than exchange it for Pesos, since it will be more expensive that way. For food, I will go over to my fiances family, they own a corner store so I can buy stuff for CHEAP, which is a plus for me.

This is my first time renting condo overseas so it will be a great experience for me

 

[MikeFisher]

spending your money in USD makes something cheaper??
thats new to me, as iwould say the opposite is the case.
1500 for a 3 bedroom appartment, that should be a nice brand furniched place, its expensive, but of course location and interior's luxuries make big differences.
Claro connection, that's the usual going rate, yes.
electricity, for 3000.- pesos per month you will not run a aircondition. a nice expensive appartment and no A/C running? myself i hate A/C and even that we have it here, we don't use it, but very most of the people i know, specially the foreigners, seem to die when they cant run A/C 24/7, lol. A/C will produce a much much higher electricity bill.

MIke

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

spending your money in USD makes something cheaper??
thats new to me, as iwould say the opposite is the case.
1500 for a 3 bedroom appartment, that should be a nice brand furniched place, its expensive, but of course location and interior's luxuries make big differences.
Claro connection, that's the usual going rate, yes.
electricity, for 3000.- pesos per month you will not run a aircondition. a nice expensive appartment and no A/C running? myself i hate A/C and even that we have it here, we don't use it, but very most of the people i know, specially the foreigners, seem to die when they cant run A/C 24/7, lol. A/C will produce a much much higher electricity bill.

MIke

First of all. I quoted by testing it out buying a dinner at Carls Jr at Agora and it listed a meal cost $595RD so I decided to pay with my AmEx Bluebird and only paid $13.91USD. If you had Peso, you would be paying more becuase you easy run out of pesos, but with USD, you dont cuz it will convert from RD to USD itself.

My new condo is furniched, indeed. It's a brand new and top of line. That is why I choosen Bella Visita since its a perfect location for me and my family. The Claro will be a test for me to see how it goes for next 6 months.

I like A/C but I dont run it 24/7, I use fan and its cheaper and it does keep my condo cool. I pefer be wise with electric bill since Edenorte rip people off so that is why I dont wanan run AC 24/7.


For anyone who want to live in Santo Domingo, chose Bella Vista since it has many high rise condo/apts there and very clean and it has electric and water 24/7

 

[texan]

First of all. I quoted by testing it out buying a dinner at Carls Jr at Agora and it listed a meal cost $595RD so I decided to pay with my AmEx Bluebird and only paid $13.91USD. If you had Peso, you would be paying more becuase you easy run out of pesos, but with USD, you dont cuz it will convert from RD to USD

I use credit cards at some places. A corporate place (Costco , la sirena, tgi Friday ) will charge the same tax and won't offer a cash discount. I don't get charge exchange fees and get air miles. But a lot of smaller places don't take credit cards. A lot will give a cash discount. Pull out that card and then ask if there is a cash discount. Some places will wave the high sales tax they have here if you pay cash. A lot of places have two additional fees. Sometimes with cash the wave both of them. I pay cash a lot at smaller places they wave the fees then I tip a little better.

If you have dollars western union gives you 43 to 1 right now. If you paid with cash at that rate it would of been $13.83. Not a big difference but the big difference is at a place with a cash discount. You can keep dollars in a bank account here. Then exchange for the good rate when needed. If you are being charged with ATM fees then you will be out money with the fees. My friend has a US account that reimburses all ATM fees.

If you live here you can also probably find a place to cash US checks with no fees and the best exchange rate. People want dollars or euros. You can bargain a little more with cash.

Sounds like you have most your budget figured out. That electric might be correct. Seems like here a lot depends on the area and what they charge per kilowatt. I run one AC in the bedroom maybe 6 hours a day. Our other house the bedroom was much smaller and I can run it a couple of hours a day. The room would cool down then the fan was fine. I have a 12000 btu bought now need a 18000 or 24000 btu.

 

[texan]

I'll be getting a 3 bed/3 bath condo in Bella Visita for $1500 a month including furnished & utilities (Gas, Water, Sewer, Trash). I am getting Phone/TV/Internet from Claro (10MB/2) for $5800RD aka $134USD

10 MB is pretty fast. I don't have a problem with speed with claro. Range is the problem. The wifi doesn't work well with concert structures. If you can get the signal everywhere in your apartment you should be fine. If not then you have to look into a second router or hot spot. A laptop is much easier to get a signal then a smartphone. My iphone won't get a signal a lot of places but my laptop is fine. Claro here has a modem/ router combo. I went yesterday and they told me that was their best unit. But you might be fine in a 3 bedroom Apartment.

 

[ROLLOUT]

Why would you want to use internet at a concert?

 

[ctrob]

Maybe to google the lyrics?

 

[Criss Colon]

"Miami" you have a VERY STEEP DR learning curve ahead of you!!!!!!
The, "Best Laid Plans Of Mice & Gringos" don't apply here.
That's "OK", we ALL went through the same "Curve" when we came here to live.
Just KNOW, that you are going to need more money than you ever thought you would need to "Survive" living in "Paradise"!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Didn't you mention you have a Dominican girlfriend & her family nearby?????
Make THAT DOUBLE what you think you will need!
"Dominican Families" NEVER "Save" you money, they "COST" you money!!!!!
You WILL See!!!!!!!!

ps., your, "pesos to US dollars, Credit Card", exchange rate, to pesos to Dollars, to,to,to,to,formula is not only confusing, but "NUTS" as well!
Mike Fisher changes US Cash into pesos EVERY DAY, and a LOT! :bunny::bunny::bunny::bunny::bunny: That's Mike after a HUGE Charter!
If anyone knows how to get the best rates, and he DOES, we would know about it from HIM!

 

[MikeFisher]

Why would you want to use internet at a concert?

i would guess that was a typo, 2 letters changed place, he meant "concrete structures", lol

Mike

 

[texan]

i would guess that was a typo, 2 letters changed place, he meant "concrete structures", lol

Mike

yes i was on my iPhone. that was a type. because of the structure my iPhone was going from wifi to 3g. then i was having to log back in. the concrete structures here are harder to have good wifi.

 

[MikeFisher]

when i use my european mastercard, the exchange rate is always fine, but it was Never better than what i get at the exchange shop for the greenbucks, good and very acceptable but never better than the exchange shop.
taking pesos out of a ATM, again the credit cards provide wit good/acceptable exchange rates, just take care about the extra fees. with many banksyou do not pay any additional fees, with others you pay even more than just one additional fee for taking cash out of a ATM in a foreign country. my own european mastercard is one of the bad ones for cash out of atm, as i get a "cash" transaction fee added right here when doing the thingy, plus my homebank in germany also takes a small but significant fee, so since a while i use that card only for CC payments or for online purchases where the exchange rate is fine and no other fees involved. to pay with a card here in the DR i use my DR Debit Cards, no fees for taking cash out of a ATM, no exchnage rates involved and zero fees for what so ever. a good example are the Gas Stations (i can only tell about it from here in Punta Cana, i would not know in case it is different in St Dgo etc), exactly the same price to pay cash or by local debit card at Shell, Sunix and Texaco. the same at the supermarkets in the area.
you are right, at smaller business's you can negociate a "cash discount".

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC,
i hear ya.
big dominican family here myself, 3 newborns within the last 4 months/since Jan 2014, so of course nothing get's cheaper.
and it does not matter if that family parts live nearby or far away, there's always a need and of course we will "assist", eso es el deber del Gringito, lol.
yes, a Dominican will get some things significantly cheaper than a New in Town Gringo, that includes the exchange rates for cash Greenbucks at exchange booths, to get around and "blend in" into the "local pricestructure for goods and services" always takes time, fluent spanish speaking helps a lot, 'cause then you can have the frequently chats with the right people which leads to a significant lowering of your living expenses, Over the Years, it is a process, not something that happens over night.

Life is good
I love my DR Familymembers, including the few buggers involved,
they assure that life doesn't get boring,
and as i figured out who is who within the long genetic strainspread, i have mostly a good control about necesities and can differ from the lazy azz scummy needs, lol.
CCCCCCCCC,
we hate it and we love it, under the line we won't wanna live without it to be as it is, as we prefer much of it over what we lived before.

Mike

 

[DRob]

Criss,

In fairness, it appears as though Miami's budget approaches yours, albeit for fewer people.

You have stated that even with your house paid off, your budget approaches 5-6k USK a month. That's for you and your wife, your three children (one of whom is in college), and I believe at least one set of grandparents. There are also additional people there, if I recall.

Miami's budget appears to be similar to yours, although he has to pay rent.

We've all been around it a few times, and the baseline amount for two adults to live in the DR at a level reasonably close to middle class life in Middle America is somewhere around 2-2.5k/month. That assumes minimal driving, moderate spending habits, no issues with alcohol/drugs/looking for love in all the wrong places, and eating locally produced food.

That number can go up very substantially and quickly if you are living in Santo Domingo or one of the nicer touristy areas, have school age children, and/or have an affinity for luxury.

Keep in mind, that number relates to folks who have been in the country for a few years, settled in, and learned the "real" costs of everything. The "gringo tax" assessed against newbies who simply don't understand the system is quite real, and rather steep.

Personally, my advice would be to stay for a shorter term period - say, two to six months - to get a sense of the actual lifestyle and attendant costs. If you are an all or nothing kind of person and insist on selling everything and throwing caution to the wind in a rush to move out here (which is a REALLY BAD idea, btw), then the second best thing would be to figure out a reasonable budget, and then double it.

 

[jeanchris]

I have to agree that is cost me more living here then i expected, but who cares, i love it!

rent is 900$/month and i probably spend around 4k total on avg for all the spending, going out 1-2x/week and all the bills. Already have my car paid. No kids.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Criss Colon]

Make that 4 Kid$!
And a LOT of "Juice" to pay EDDESUR for every month!
Next year I will have two in college, and another car to keep on the road!
I hope "Barack" can keep up with my expenses!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

"Miami" has a full time girl friend, very expensive.
I just rent my girlfriends by the quarter hour!

 

[MikeFisher]

yeah CCCCCCCCCCC,
the different variations provide with different "rates".
* by the quarter hr, pay as you use it, nothing to think about it the rest of the time
* full time "Girlfriend", if used often the count per hr/quarter hr drops a lot on the price, if used only once or twice a week the calculated hrly costs go steep, so the "pay as you go" model is more economic then
* the full time Wife. independend of usage you have the frequent costs for Salon, clothing, vacation weekends plus the expenses for the always included very extended family. you have 4 kids, you always pay for 10, a rule of local islandlife.
Variations #1 and #3 can easily be taken as a mixed variation, and are the usual way of life.
Variation #2 hides the big danger that after a short while she feels and see's herself as the Boss Wife, lol.

Life is Goood
Island Life is Betttttter!

Mike

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

Guys,

The reason I am renting a condo in DR because I dont want to be apart from my new wife and my 10 mo. daughter after I get married in May and wait for the VISA process so instead, I want to rent a condo for next 6-9 months until her visa is approved then we will head back to Miami.

When time is right, I will purchase a home in DR and yes I have a job that pays me very well but never know, though. That's why I am lucky I have connections in DR because of my gf's family owns 3 stores and have many friends so it helps my case more.

I chose Claro because they offered me better deal and yes, 10MB is fast lol but I dont need anything fancy, 10MB is good enough and they said in Bella Vista, the connection thru Claro is strong and fast so that is why I get 10/2mb BUT usually I checked with my gf, she get at least 8/1.2mb at the most.

Therefore, yes it will be my first experience and I'm excited!