Cost of living in Puerto Plata with a mild mental disable boy

Welcome to the forums. I think you can live comfortable on the north coast within your budget and with full time help.

Bob will comment soon on good places for you there!!!

Yes welcome and Happy Holidays.

Your plan  is doable.  I got your PM and will write a detailed answer but probably not today as we are in the midst of cooking our holiday dinner.

Bob K

Thanks to both of you !

Bob, yes, first I wrote a PM, but if your reply is interresting for everybody, you can post it on the forum. I was just new on this forum and I did not know what was the best way to have answers. Maybe through the forum, more people could give also their advises. It's up to you.

Take your time to enjoy of this XMas day.
Read you soon.

Ray,

Merry Christmas + a day.

Like I said yes it is doable on that amount of money here on the north coast.  Yes you will be looking at either a condo with 24/7 security or a villa rental in a gated community to be most comfortable with your son.  Yes you will be able to hire local folks to help with him and his needs but very careful as to who you hire.  You will not get the same level of professionalism that you would get in the US.  Having said that you will find competent people to help.  Help is also very cheap. As an example a full time housekeeper (clean, cook, laundry and what ever) will cost you about $200-$225  a month.  Part time help/companionship for  you son $10 a day or so.

Most places you will be renting at are either very close to or walking distance to town and the beaches.  The beach in Sosua is more conducive to swimming and more locals than Cabarete with waves and more tourists on the beach.  There are lots of good grocery stores about so shopping is not a big deal.  Buying local products and not imported will keep your costs very reasonable.

There is lots to do in the area for both of you.  Have  you been here before?  If not I would suggest a couple of week trip for you to explore the area.  I would be happy to meet with you when you come down.  My wife and I have been living here full time for the last (almost) 9 years and continue to live the "dream".

As to internet, TV, phone etc all is available here and all of good quality.  Electricity can still be tricky here but anywhere   you would rent will have a back up system of some sort (inverter/generator), but using AC all the time will be expensive.

Hope some of this helps. 

Keep the questions coming.

Bob K

Thank you Bob !

Yes, I will try to find the best condo/villa there. There are so many. Not easy to find the good one. No, I've never been there, but usually, I don't do that. I try to analyse the most I can before to go, and when I decide to go, I move. I don't move so much... two big bags and it's enough for everywhere and if I need something more, I will use DHL or something like that or I will buy there. If I was alone, without my son, probably, I was gone already, but this time, I need to prepare everything before to go and to be sure to go also.

I just spent already some hours to compare all costs between Nosy-Be and Sosua-Cabarete. I'm very surprised. I 'm used to record day per day all expenses, in all areas. It should be useful to put these figures on the forum (cost of living), but in short, rents are about the same or cheaper in DR ; local food 30% cheaper in Mada, imported food, 30% cheaper in DR. drinks are same. Internet is same price but very bad quality in Mada. The biggest difference is in housemaid. 50€ in Mada, 170€ in DR but it's not very important. The most important is in Sosua-Cabarete ; Leisure's, swimming pool, gated communities, medical services, economic activities... all this don't exist in Nosy Be. Beaches and landscapes look also more beautiful in DR...  I'm very surprised because, I was almost sure that Mada was much cheaper than DR. In real, no, it isn't. Probably because, the business with foreigners is very very low, imported products are rare and so the price for everything become higher than normal.  Then, it's a good news for DR.

Now, I have to find the good condo, apartment, or villa, in the good place, for my son and me. I need also to find the good person to help me in my home and with my son. For Mada, I found first this person and she did absolutely everything. I had just to open my bag and to begin to work. I would like to do the same with DR. I would like to ask to this person to visit all homes and to take pictures of everything. When it's ok, to check Internet connection or to ask new installation, same for cable and finally to fill in the fridge and to prepare all the home. I did like this several times and it's a perfect way for me. The price of this person, for this preparation, is not very important. It can be a little high, because the service is important too but it's also a way to find a good with for a foreigner. 

Where could I place an ad to find this person?  Where is the best place to put an ad to have more proposals about home?

Thank you so much for your help.

Ray

First, I found some errors in one of my sentences It can be a little high, because the service is important too but it's also a way to find a good with for a foreigner.  should be It can be a little high, because the service is important for me, but it's also a way to find a good job for a foreigner

I wrote also a post about cost of living in Nosy Be. It's in French and in English and in Euros. You can compare if you want. https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 7#2330213.