2020 Cost Of Living in DR

Welcome to the forums.  Short term rentals and tourist  style living: 1,000 will not.do it. 

2,000 is iffy and 3,000 is doable depending on lifestyle, eating out, traveling etc. 

Of.course areas are different too.  Your budget for Las Terrenas will be much different then say Punta Cana!

What are areas that is good to live  for $2000 . At least a 2 bed 2 bath and a decent view nothing crazy . For 2 adults . Is this  achievable and can you live comfortably on $2000

Prices were creeping up from inflation prior to Covid. You may want to revisit in a few months to see where everything is - much uncertainty.

Wow is there that much change in cost now ?

We have no tourism and will have very little for some time.

Currently there are lots of places for rent all over the country.

For your budget look at the north coast Luperon, Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete, Cabrera.   You can consider Las Terrenad and Samana.  In the south look at La Romana.   You can consider Santiago and Jarabacoa.

Your budget won't likely suffice for Punta Cana and Bavaro.

Your budget will qualify you for residency if it's retirement income!

Can va disability  be considered retirement.  And can I use it for a pension visa ?

Yes you can if it's a permanent disabity.

I live in Moca which is approx 10 miles down the road from the Santiago airport. I live off my Cdn VA disability plus military pension (1/2 after divorce) plus what we call Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan (CPP). My rent, cable/internet, electricity and water are covered for less than $650 USD - leaves plenty to pay for land to build house eventually. As stated above, it depends on where you want to live. While I seem to be the only Expat right here , others in Santiago. There is a french Expat in Jarabacoa where there are high hills and scenic places to live. When I want to get away to the coast with my wife (when doing so is okay to do) I rent a car for the weekend - roughly around $160 including gas -still cheap. Although I am slowly learning espanol, which is hard due to military caused hearing loss, I find many folks here speaking english and enjoy using it to speak with me as I struggle with my spanish.....also many folks speak english as they have lived in the USA - generally New York or region - and have retired back here.....so; while you may wish to be by the water, costs do go up just like anywhere in the world with waterfront living or proximity to such. Just a little more detail from one perspective....

Great detail too, thanks for sharing

2vpsoldier :

Thank you for that information . We are not looking for beachfront at all . We just want a good view lol for a reasonable price  and thank you for your  service.  Please let me know if you can think of more information to tell me

Planner :
Thank you for that information.

So my question is can  I apply for the pension visa while I am still in the US or do I need to wait till  I am there .

The entire process starts there where you are.  Once you have all your documentation you apply for a residency visa at the nearest embassy. 

Then you bring your visa and documentation here and apply for residency.

I am working with our friendly lawyer to create a new residency thread.  We have one and it is pages and pages long.  Hang tight, a new one is coming that you will find helpful!

That would be great .thanks

As you are in the States, find the closest Dominican Consulate. From all I have heard from US folks, they and the Embassy are very helpful, as was the Embassy (Ottawa) contact I made in Canada and the Consulate in Toronto. They provide precise details of everything you need to submit. If not on their website then contact by phone and info emailed if you are geographically distant from them. It takes a while and there is an expense so be prepared.....but you'll find it all out soon enough. Good Luck!

I see the latest Cost of Living Index has just been published.

It puts DR as the lowest cost base in the Caribbean.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/r … region=029

Interesting thanks for posting!