Living Costs in the Dominican Republic

DRob

Gold
Aug 15, 2007
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Margaritaville Frozen Drink Machine:

41G2G439WAL._SY300_.jpg


http://www.amazon.com/Margaritaville-Bahamas-Frozen-Concoction-No-Brainer/dp/B00CUJVWDS

I worked at a place with an Island Oasis Machine, which is a commercial version of this and runs about $600. They got $7/drink and sold up to 200 drinks a day with it and more on big weekend. It was enough of a money maker that we'd go through two full ice machines and then go to the local supermarket to get another couple hundred pounds of ice.

I could never understand why no one does frozen drinks. At 200 pesos a pop, they'd make a ton of money,

Two initial reasons:

1) The local "boss" who you didn't cut a deal with wouldn't appreciate you taking away from his margin, and you'd wake up one day to find your equipment trashed. Assuming you get a permit to open in the first place.

2) Even if you grease all required palms, there's be a competitor next door with two blenders and "happy hour" prices open by the end of your first week.
 
May 29, 2006
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Two initial reasons:

1) The local "boss" who you didn't cut a deal with wouldn't appreciate you taking away from his margin, and you'd wake up one day to find your equipment trashed. Assuming you get a permit to open in the first place.

2) Even if you grease all required palms, there's be a competitor next door with two blenders and "happy hour" prices open by the end of your first week.

Oh please. The frozen drink mafia? You can get batidas all over the place, but it takes about ten minutes, more if they cut the fruit to order.. With a commercial machine, it can crank out 20 pitchers an hour and few bar owners are willing to front $600 and import it. I'm thinking of one for my own use, and a home unit like the one shown is about $150. That would shave about $50/month off of my bar and beer tab easy, even after costs.
 

shorts

Member
Dec 3, 2012
311
3
18
Margaritaville Frozen Drink Machine:

41G2G439WAL._SY300_.jpg


Amazon.com: Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker & No-Brainer Mixer: Frozen Drink Mixer: Kitchen & Dining

I worked at a place with an Island Oasis Machine, which is a commercial version of this and runs about $600. They got $7/drink and sold up to 200 drinks a day with it and more on big weekend. It was enough of a money maker that we'd go through two full ice machines and then go to the local supermarket to get another couple hundred pounds of ice.

I could never understand why no one does frozen drinks. At 200 pesos a pop, they'd make a ton of money,

There's a place in Santiago across the street from Hotel Matum that does only those. They've got like 6 flavors going at any one time, but nobody is ever in there.
 

Serge1960

New member
Apr 2, 2014
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so from Janets 2 July 2015

Rica - Whole Milk - Quart 66 RD / no tax
Chuleta Fresca 1.14 lbs - 132.00 RD / no tax - wife says good price compared to NY- pays 3.99 US Lb
Costilla's from Butcher shop 2.76 lbs - 455.40 RD/no tax wife says good price compared to NY
Jamon Bold Smoked Deli 1.32 lbs - 240.24 RD /no tax very good price - in NY would be between 7.99 to 8.99 on sale 6.99
Manzanas Rojas - 2 Apples 0.87 lbs 52.20 / ITBIS 7.96 - also good price
 

lovemedo

New member
Nov 3, 2013
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now is a good time to buy, as properties do not go since some years, nobody pays what owners thought they would be worth a few years ago.
but honestly, i would not buy and built down here, not worth it, Rent is the way to go.
where I own/bought, is the Ranch. i also own property along the Boulevard del Este, the highway between PC airport and the hotelarea, first row, Highway entry/exit, but i would never build there for my own. it is property that i bought cheap many many years ago/almost 2 decades ago, i did of course not know about any highway to be build right along there, lucky shot. such properties are like money on the bank, wait some years or decades, then sell. right now salesprices are the cheapest since a very long time, good for buyers, but those buyers do not know when their property will start to raise on value.
the only exceptions are the extremely rare small beachfront properties, almost nothing available in the punta cana area, at least not available for sales, and where someone is willing to sell, it does not matter on the price if theres a mansion built on it or if its a empty dirty Lot, it has its high price because it is beachfront, right along the 60 meters from the waterline.

consider building costs and purchase of beachfront property, look on the typical markets rental rates(which are darn cheap here), and then see how many decades you need to rent out such property, just to amorize the prior investment, PLUS the extra years of renting out to cover for your maintenance costs to keep it up on value as a Landlord, NOT worth it.

I live in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, small balcony, big veranda appartment right on the beach, first row, fully furniched $600.- USD per month. all maintenance, security, trash removals, beach cleaning etc etc already in the rental price.
now ask, what would it cost to purchase Today such beachfront and what would it cost to build it? and what is the costs of maintaining it with gardeners, watchy etc etc?
well, i did such calculations more than once during the last 20 years down here, and the result is always the same:
I will rent til the end of times, but i will not throw my money out of the window to purchase and build for the own living.

and the rental keeps me flexibel, in case the 'hood changes or the Daughter's future demands to move some other area for school etc, i just could Move, no need to sell anything. not that i like to move too often, we just moved, but within the same building, been waiting a long time that this actual bigger appartment gets empty, lol. we live here since 9 years now and i see no reason to move. but at the moment a reason comes up, i just pack the bags and we are free to move where ever we wanna go.

Mike

the only problem with that is rents can increase, potentially altering your monthly budget...rents DO increase. I guess you could downgrade and pay less rent!!!!
 

lovemedo

New member
Nov 3, 2013
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From Janets in Cabarete 26 June

Rica Naranja 1/2 gallon 84.00 rd / 12.81 ITBIS......................200rd
Jugos CEPY Fruit Juice -Gallon 85.00 rd / 12.97 ITBIS..............
Yogood Fresa 1/2 gallon 191.00 /21.97 ITBIS ..........................240rd
Huevos ENOY 18 ct 98.00rd / no tax ......................................160rd
Cebolla Rojas-Bag about 12-15 58rd/ no tax .......................240rd
Presidente Peq 6 Pack Bottles 350.00 rd/53.39 ITBIS .............700rd
Plantano Maduro -3 pieces 33 rd / no tax
Indiana Canela - Package - 15 rd/ no tax
Dasani Agua - 5 Litres 72 rd/ no tax
Tomatoe Barcel? - 4 package 19.50 rd/ no tax

The country i just finished working in is expensive, i guess. i included converted figures of what i paid in the real
world for food. To me the DR is way cheaper
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
33,626
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dr1.com
I just paid 150 pesos for a halogen bulb for my low beam. The cheapest one I could find online was 13 dollars so I guess some things are cheaper here.
 

chic

Silver
Nov 20, 2013
4,305
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so from Janets 2 July 2015

Rica - Whole Milk - Quart 66 RD / no tax
Chuleta Fresca 1.14 lbs - 132.00 RD / no tax - wife says good price compared to NY- pays 3.99 US Lb
Costilla's from Butcher shop 2.76 lbs - 455.40 RD/no tax wife says good price compared to NY
Jamon Bold Smoked Deli 1.32 lbs - 240.24 RD /no tax very good price - in NY would be between 7.99 to 8.99 on sale 6.99
Manzanas Rojas - 2 Apples 0.87 lbs 52.20 / ITBIS 7.96 - also good price

man you saving money...i love saving...buy more...
 

Serge1960

New member
Apr 2, 2014
145
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The country i just finished working in is expensive, i guess. i included converted figures of what i paid in the real
world for food. To me the DR is way cheaper

At least with Many Basic Food staples , the food can be cheaper especially when the ITBIS is not collected. My comparison is from the Metro New York Area food pricing & my wife uses COSTCO, a lot in moderate bulk packaged items & the items we bought here locally still in many instances was less expensive!

Even we found that the road side Veggie/fruit stands were at times more money than the super market, now some of that is the Gringo price, but since my wife & I look sort of Dominican ( we're not ) we know the price is what they are selling for normally. -Serge
 

robbiee

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Dec 27, 2014
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www.dominicanfun.net
off topic: i came back few weeks ago to some european country and here everything (well, except rent and services...most of it) is cheaper and of better quality by 20-30 %..if not more. especially THE FOOD, which is very often like 2 times cheaper.
strong USD is one of the reasons for such difference in prices...Europe seems to be cheap (or not so expensive like it was) if you have uSD

I bought some limones (maybe imported from DR ?) for around 15 pesos each, last time I record that they cost around the same in Las Terrenas. anyway, they are not so fresh like in DR.
the quality of life is few times better, yet there is (almost) no craziness and unfortunately there are (some or many...) rules...
and yeah, no beautiful beaches too. but we have a electricity 24/7 and no cockroaches (well, almost)
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,893
2,481
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Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
the only problem with that is rents can increase, potentially altering your monthly budget...rents DO increase. I guess you could downgrade and pay less rent!!!!

compared to many years ago, rents are very faaaar less today.
but i can only speak for my own local area around punta cana, i have zero rantal or other property experience in any other area.
during the lastdecade this area been overfilled up with so many condos of all kind, from ocean front to 5th row El Cortecito trash, the rents dropped like a dime slipping out of your hands.

ajd the still growing numberof condominiums under construction, do for this area guarantee that the rents will sure not rise the next decade, but on many ocassions even drop further.

Mike
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,893
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Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
At least with Many Basic Food staples , the food can be cheaper especially when the ITBIS is not collected. My comparison is from the Metro New York Area food pricing & my wife uses COSTCO, a lot in moderate bulk packaged items & the items we bought here locally still in many instances was less expensive!

Even we found that the road side Veggie/fruit stands were at times more money than the super market, now some of that is the Gringo price, but since my wife & I look sort of Dominican ( we're not ) we know the price is what they are selling for normally. -Serge

firstly, just to think to "look" dominican, does in no way mean that a dominican seller takes you for dominican. it is always the way of approach, nver just the "look" that decides the price.
2nd, it is usual that the roadside fruitstands are more expensive than the supermarkets, at the roadside stand, if you know one who sells it's own fresh stuff, they have just that, their own fresh own stuff, depending on the different seasons for the different fruits and veggies. at a supermarket they buy the Bulk, some nice fresh, most not too much, so it's cheaper.

Mike
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,893
2,481
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
off topic: i came back few weeks ago to some european country and here everything (well, except rent and services...most of it) is cheaper and of better quality by 20-30 %..if not more. especially THE FOOD, which is very often like 2 times cheaper.
strong USD is one of the reasons for such difference in prices...Europe seems to be cheap (or not so expensive like it was) if you have uSD

I bought some limones (maybe imported from DR ?) for around 15 pesos each, last time I record that they cost around the same in Las Terrenas. anyway, they are not so fresh like in DR.
the quality of life is few times better, yet there is (almost) no craziness and unfortunately there are (some or many...) rules...
and yeah, no beautiful beaches too. but we have a electricity 24/7 and no cockroaches (well, almost)

come on,
if you want to compare european prices to dominican prices,
you have to compare the euro price of the product in europe, to the peso pricein DR, compared by the actual exchange rate of the euro to the peso, sure not to the american dollar or a chines or vietnamese currency.
actually it is cheap for us-american citizens, because the dollar stands strong, the DR is actually expensive for western european citizens, because the euro is lately worth shyt.
such changes all the time for both currencies, up and down for each.

Mike
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
24,155
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South Coast
firstly, just to think to "look" dominican, does in no way mean that a dominican seller takes you for dominican. it is always the way of approach, nver just the "look" that decides the price.
2nd, it is usual that the roadside fruitstands are more expensive than the supermarkets, at the roadside stand, if you know one who sells it's own fresh stuff, they have just that, their own fresh own stuff, depending on the different seasons for the different fruits and veggies. at a supermarket they buy the Bulk, some nice fresh, most not too much, so it's cheaper.

Mike

Mike, you are absolutely right with the "looks Dominican" comment. Mr. AE *is* Dominican, but gets gringo prices because of two reasons: #1. They can tell by his American clothes and shoes that he's not local. #2. If I'm anywhere in the general vicinity the price doubles and they try to speak to him in English, thinking he's a foreigner too. He's even overheard some sellers remark about gringos, meaning us, and he lets them have it.

I don't know about Punta Cana, but in our area of DR [west of Santo Domingo along the beach] there are several roadside stands to choose from. The prices at all of them are substantially less than the supermarket, sometimes almost half. The one thing that I find very high everywhere is garlic, and we use a lot of it [note to self to bring a bunch down next trip]. Even the colmados sell some things cheaper than La Sirena [eggs come to mind, usually 2-3 pesos less each, and we buy a tray of 30 at a time].
 

donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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Last edited:

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
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come on,
if you want to compare european prices to dominican prices,
you have to compare the euro price of the product in europe, to the peso pricein DR, compared by the actual exchange rate of the euro to the peso, sure not to the american dollar or a chines or vietnamese currency.
actually it is cheap for us-american citizens, because the dollar stands strong, the DR is actually expensive for western european citizens, because the euro is lately worth shyt.
such changes all the time for both currencies, up and down for each.

Mike

I think robbiee speaks in more general level, as I have seen a similar trend. Yes, currently you can buy EUR very cheaply, and Europeans who come here are "poor", but if you stay long term in either place, you see the real difference. The DR applies new taxes to consumer products all the time, nevertheless there is not much difference in anything public.

We have done quite a few calculations, and if we got our facts right, the only things cheaper in the DR (compared to some EU countries) are housing, water and some fresh produce. Of these three, only the fresh produce comes with comparable or better quality.

With some conditions and disclaimers, the electricity in the DR is also cheaper, IF you stay below the 10 peso threshold. Once you go there, then forget it. Also the quality obviously does not compare.

The pricing in La Sirena has become ridiculous (for domestic and imported products) and since we also need to buy baby-products, pricing there is just more ridiculous, with terrible quality. Will need to switch to Amazon.

Coffee (1 lb Santo Domingo regular) was 156 DOP or something, now the cheapest I have found is 200 DOP in colmado, 210 DOP in supermarkets.