According to shoe-wiki, the Dominican Republic is one of the cheaper countries in the Caribbean, with the cost of living varying by area. You can get a very luxurious 2-3 bedroom apartment for around 900 EUR. A 1 room apartment including furniture is available from 200 EUR per month, sometimes even cheaper. A domestic help is available for around EUR 150 per month.
You would need around € 1,884.54 in Santo Domingo to maintain the same standard of living that you could have in Berlin with € 3,700.00 (assuming you rent in both cities).
- Consumer prices in Santo Domingo are 40.41% lower than in Berlin (without rent)
- Consumer prices including rent in Santo Domingo are 49.07% lower than in Berlin
- Rental prices in Santo Domingo are 68.84% lower than in Berlin
- Restaurant prices in Santo Domingo are 45.45% lower than in Berlin
- Food prices in Santo Domingo are 35.67% lower than in Berlin
- The local purchasing power in Santo Domingo is 74.98% lower than in Berlin
Average cost of living in Santo Domingo (from 08/2019 – 07/2020)
| Restaurant | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Food, price w. restaurant | 4.39 | 2.93-7.32 |
| Middle class, 3 courses for 2 people. | 33.68 | 17.57-51.25 |
| Local beer, 0.5 l | 1.61 | 1.10-2.93 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 l | 2.20 | 1.76-3.66 |
| cappuccino | 1.38 | 0.73-2.93 |
| Coca / Pepsi (0.33 l) | 0.71 | 0.51-1.17 |
| Water (0.33 l) | 0.45 | 0.22-1.46 |
| Food | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Milk (1 L) | 0.86 | 0.73-0.91 |
| White bread (500g) | 1.32 | 0.95-3.66 |
| Rice (white), (1kg) | 0.85 | 0.59-1.13 |
| Eggs (12) | 1.40 | 0.88 – 2.64 |
| Local cheese (1kg) | 5.52 | 2.20 – 7.75 |
| Chicken breast fillet (1kg) | 4.08 | 1.76-5.49 |
| Beef (1kg) | 5.83 | 3.55-7.32 |
| Apples (1kg) | 1.84 | 0.73-3.66 |
| Bananas (1kg) | 0.59 | 0.37-1.46 |
| Oranges (1kg) | 1.78 | 0.38-3.23 |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 0.97 | 0.29-1.46 |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 1.14 | 0.81-1.46 |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.92 | 0.88 – 2.58 |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 0.70 | 0.29-1.32 |
| Water (1.5 l) | 0.82 | 0.37-1.46 |
| Bottle of wine (middle class) | 8.79 | 5.13-17.57 |
| Local beer (0.5 l) | 1.62 | 1.17-2.00 |
| Imported beer (0.33 l) | 2.49 | 2.20-2.93 |
Average costs for local transport, utilities, clothing, leisure, education of Santo Domingo (from 08/2019 – 07/2020)
| Mode of Transport | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| One-time ticket | 0.37 | 0.37-0.59 |
| Monthly pass | 29.29 | 17.51-47.75 |
| Taxi base amount | 2.93 | 2.20-3.22 |
| Taxi 1 km | 2.34 | 1.32-3.66 |
| Ancillary housing costs | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| for 85 sqm apartment (electricity, water, garbage, etc. | 56.50 | 29.29-85.44 |
| 1 minute prepaid mobile tariff | 0.12 | 0.04-0.16 |
| Internet (60 Mbps or more, unlimited data, cable / ADSL) | 42.39 | 29.29-58.58 |
| Clothes, shoes | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Jeans (Levis 501 or similar) | 31.40 | 14.64-65.90 |
| Summer dress (Zara, H&M,… | 40.93 | 21.97-58.58 |
| Nike sports shoes, middle class | 58.26 | 36.61-102.51 |
| Leather business shoes | 70.93 | 43.93-109.83 |
| leisure time | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Fitness center, month / adult | 20.30 | 14.50-36.61 |
| Tennis, 1 hour on weekends | 12.08 | 7.32-21.97 |
| a movie ticket | 4.39 | 3.66-5.86 |
| training | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Preschool / Kindergarten, private, whole day, monthly per child | 133.42 | 87.86-219.66 |
| International primary school per year and child | 4,489.35 | 2,108.75 – 14,644.09 |
Average rental prices / purchase and salaries of Santo Domingo (from 08/2019 – 07/2020)
| Monthly rental price | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in the city center | 359.00 | 263.59-585.76 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) outside the center | 189.60 | 117.15-292.88 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in the city center | 677.81 | 439.32 – 1,142.24 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) outside the center | 314.50 | 219.66-585.76 |
| Purchase price of apartments | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Price per square meter for an apartment in the city – purchase | 1,030.58 | 732.20-1464.41 |
| Price per square meter – apartment outside the center – purchase | 516.20 | 366.10-732.20 |
| wages | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Average monthly salary (after taxes) | 308.15 | – |
Work in the Dominican Republic
There are hardly any opportunities for a well-paid employment relationship in the DomRep, as one works underpaid for German standards. Most of the jobs are in the tourism industry. You should speak Spanish well. Self-employment is the best option for immigrants. All you need is a valid residence permit and business registration (RNC number).
German-speaking jobs for emigrants, which can also be carried out in the Dominican Republic, are available on the Osourced portal. Native speakers in particular are in great demand. The employers come mainly from Germany and DACH. The wages are usually below the German level but above the local level in the Dominican Republic. Emigrants with German language skills thus benefit from a locally above-average wage with low living costs at the same time (geo-arbitrage). Tip: Emigrants can still apply for a job in Germany. With a job offer, emigrating is much easier.
Otherwise you can also apply for a work visa for 1 year. This costs around RD $ 5,000 and requires a processing time of 90 days. It should be noted that this process is completed in 2 phases. First you start with the application in the country of origin via the consulate or embassy. The second phase and completion of the visa application is carried out in the Dominican Republic. More detailed information can be obtained from the embassy.
Health insurance – safe, inexpensive, flexible
If you would like to take out your health insurance abroad while you are still living in Germany, you can use the cheapest option (from € 28.90) for terms of up to 5 years – it’s called PROTRIP – info here. After taking out PROTRIP, you willreceive your insurance confirmation as well as all other documents that you need for consulates and authorities.
If you already live abroad or would like to have health insurance abroad with an unlimited term, then, depending on your situation and needs, 3 other BDAE insurances are possible – information here. These are the highest quality coverage for your stay abroad as a single or family, whether temporary or permanent.
Moved to the Dominican Republic
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Emigration and life Dom Rep – conclusion
The Dominican Republic is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts and lovers of dream beaches. It is recommended for those who either no longer have to work or who earn their money through internet work. However, one should not emigrate to the Dominican Republic without the appropriate capital. You also have to be able to live with the fact that a certain chaos is just as much a part of everyday life as corruption. Some advantages: Free of nuclear power, low cost of living (LHK-I 68.4).