Today we present the second part of our blog, in which we describe the costs associated with living in the Dominican Republic. As you know from the previous part, the cost of living in the Dominican Republic does not differ that much from those in Poland. Of course, it must be remembered that this is an island. Therefore, local products will be very cheap, while imported ones will be more expensive. Costs may also vary depending on the region we are in. This will most often apply to expenses in restaurants or various types of services.
If we are thinking about living permanently in the Dominican Republic, we must certainly take into account costs that we will not experience on vacation. We discussed the prices of a car and its insurance in the previous article. But what about fuel? How much does diesel cost, and how much does gasoline cost? As of May 15, 2023, you have to pay $1.41 USD per liter of gasoline. Diesel costs $1.07 USD per liter. Converting to złoty, that is approximately 5.80 per liter of gasoline and 4.42 for diesel. This is one of those aspects that will certainly surprise us positively.
If we have children, we must consider a school. In the Punta Cana/Bavaro region, a recommended place is Punta Cana International School. Completing this school will allow you to pursue higher education in Poland without any problems. Enrolling a child in school is not a major difficulty. The staff and teachers speak English there, which is an additional advantage. The documentation we need to submit will not differ much from that in Poland. These are:
- 6 photos 2x2cm
- Birth certificate (translated and apostilled)
- School registration form
- Last school certificate (translated and apostilled)
- Current grade report, if the transfer is made during the school year (translated)
- Medical certificate (translated and apostilled)
- Letter of recommendation from the current school (translated)
The monthly tuition cost at Punta Cana International School is $450-750 USD depending on the level of education. Older grades pay progressively more.
Living in the Dominican Republic on a daily basis, it is worth taking advantage of the island’s privileged location. Central America is an excellent starting point for North and South America. Below is a list of flight prices to the most interesting destinations in the region:
- Mexico City, Mexico – $300 USD
- Bogota, Colombia – $200 USD
- Caracas, Venezuela – $450 USD
- San Jose, Costa Rica – $300 USD
- Lima, Peru – $500 USD
- Saint Maarten – $300 USD
- Kingston, Jamaica – $350 USD
- Havana, Cuba – $400 USD
- Curacao – $300 USD
- Orlando, USA – $180 USD
- New York, USA – $350 USD
- Toronto, Canada – $450 USD
If we would first like to explore the country and do not have a car, we should use public transportation. It is divided into smaller buses called guagua and intercity transport. The former runs around the city and we will pay between 50-100 Dominican pesos ($2-5 USD). If the guagua takes us to a nearby town, we will probably pay twice as much. Intercity buses cost a bit more. A trip from Bavaro to Santo Domingo costs approximately $15 USD (200km); for a trip from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata we will pay similarly. It is worth emphasizing that we are talking here about the company Caribe Tours, which has buses with very good equipment. They do not differ from those in Europe. They have comfortable seats, air conditioning, and each passenger receives an assigned seat. As a rule, before the bus departs, a local vendor enters and offers us snacks. Taxis in the Dominican Republic are the most expensive means of transport, however, it is possible to negotiate a better price than the one we get at the beginning. From the airport in Punta Cana to Bavaro we will get there for $25 USD, and to Bayahibe for $60 USD.
Spending more time in the Dominican Republic, we will want to take advantage of what the Dominican Republic has best to offer – the landscape. Many of us have various hobbies or go to the gym. Excursions in the Dominican Republic vary depending on their popularity. The most expensive excursion is probably a private cruise to Saona. A private boat to the island in season costs $300 USD. This is an excellent solution if we want to spend this special day alone. If we go to less known places, sometimes difficult to access due to a long hike, we will either not pay at all or the cost will be minimal, e.g., $5 USD per person. In the case of using a tour agency, most attractions cost from $50-120 USD. The Dominican Republic itself is very safe, and tourist sites are well marked, even the most remote ones.
Diving costs are approximately $200 USD including a trip to the island, a round of golf at places like Teeth of the Dog or Punta Espada costs $300 USD, rafting on the Yaque del Norte River costs $270 USD, sport fishing with the option of eating the caught fish costs approximately $100 USD for 4 hours. Kitesurfing lessons with rented equipment cost $130 USD/hour. Equipment rental costs approximately $30/40 USD per hour. If we want to use the gym, a monthly package costs approximately $50 USD. The cost of renting a tennis court or padel court is approximately $15 USD/hour. These are only sample prices for sports activities. In the Dominican Republic, the service sector is very well developed and everyone will find something for themselves.
Costs related to purchasing and servicing a car, health insurance, housing, prices of food products, apartment finishing, and rent were discussed in the previous blog. You can read it here → https://casa-dominicana.com/ile-tak-naprawde-kosztuje-zycie-w-dominikanie-ceny-produktow-i-nie-tylko/.
Summary of average monthly living costs below:
Electricity: $90 USD
Internet and cable TV: $33 USD
Mobile phone: $33 USD
Groceries: $540 USD
Other expenses:
Cleaning lady: $145 USD
Gardener: $73 USD (in case of owning a house)
Health insurance: $67 USD
Basic car insurance: $17 USD
House/apartment maintenance costs: $120 USD
Gasoline: $110 USD
Hairdresser: $10 USD
Water bill: $54 USD
Propane-butane gas: $15 USD
Final result: $1,274 USD
If you have any questions regarding other costs related to short-term or long-term stays in the Dominican Republic, you can contact us by email – info@casa-dominicana.com or speak directly with Leszek Gimel via WhatsApp +1 (829) 499-9798. Leszek has been living in the Dominican Republic for 8 years and can present you with current prices in the Dominican Republic.
Jędrzej Pacak
