American School of Santo Domingo
Verified
Santo DomingoAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Country guide
Overview
Dominican Republic🇩🇴
At a Glance
How Dominican Republic compares across key indices
Cost of Living
40 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
59/100
Healthcare
58/100
Quality of Life
137/200
Cost of Living
How far your money goes in Dominican Republic
Cost of Living
40
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
30
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
40
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
41
100 = NYC dining
Safety & Crime
Moderate RiskHow safe residents feel in Dominican Republic - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
59/100
Crime Index
44/100
Lower is better
Walking Safety
Daytime100
Nighttime100
0 point drop from day to night
Cities in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic has 49 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $782 in Villa Francisca to $1,044 in Santo Domingo. Villa Francisca leads on safety, scoring 63/100. Villa Francisca ranks highest for quality of life at 144/200.
đź’¸Most Affordable
Villa Francisca
$782/mo
Safest
Villa Francisca
63/100
Best Quality of Life
Villa Francisca
144/200
Best Healthcare
Santo Domingo
71/100
City filter
Featured
Curated and popular cities first.
40 of 49 shown| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santo Domingo | $1,044 | 53/100 | 139/200 | 71/100 | 49 |
| Santiago de los Caballeros | $915 | 56/100 | 140/200 | 64/100 | 44 |
| Santo Domingo Oeste | $892 | 57/100 | 141/200 | 62/100 | 42 |
| Santo Domingo Este | $892 | 57/100 | 141/200 | 62/100 | 42 |
| San Pedro de MacorĂs | $843 | 60/100 | 142/200 | 59/100 | 37 |
| La Romana | $842 | 60/100 | 142/200 | 58/100 | 37 |
| Bella Vista | $835 | 60/100 | 142/200 | 58/100 | 37 |
| San CristĂłbal | $829 | 61/100 | 142/200 | 57/100 | 36 |
| Puerto Plata | $827 | 61/100 | 142/200 | 57/100 | 36 |
| San Francisco de MacorĂs | $821 | 61/100 | 143/200 | 57/100 | 35 |
| SalvaleĂłn de HigĂĽey | $820 | 61/100 | 143/200 | 57/100 | 35 |
| La Vega | $812 | 62/100 | 143/200 | 56/100 | 35 |
| Punta Cana | $811 | 62/100 | 143/200 | 56/100 | 34 |
| Santa Cruz de Barahona | $801 | 62/100 | 143/200 | 55/100 | 33 |
| Bonao | $798 | 62/100 | 143/200 | 55/100 | 33 |
| San Juan de la Maguana | $798 | 62/100 | 143/200 | 55/100 | 33 |
| Bajos de Haina | $795 | 63/100 | 143/200 | 55/100 | 33 |
| BanĂ | $795 | 63/100 | 143/200 | 55/100 | 33 |
| Moca | $791 | 63/100 | 143/200 | 54/100 | 33 |
| Azua | $789 | 63/100 | 143/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Cristo Rey | $788 | 63/100 | 143/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Villa Francisca | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Mao | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Boca Chica | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Salcedo | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Esperanza | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| CotuĂ | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Villa Altagracia | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Hato Mayor del Rey | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Nagua | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Villa BisonĂł | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Jarabacoa | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Constanza | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Villa Consuelo | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Santa Cruz de El Seibo | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Tamboril | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Las Matas de Farfán | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| San José de Ocoa | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| Bayaguana | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
| RĂo Grande | $782 | 63/100 | 144/200 | 54/100 | 32 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Families
Schools
18 verified school profiles across 5 cities in Dominican Republic — language model, grade range, credentials, and published tuition. A sample is shown here; filter the full set in the School Finder.
Ashton School
Verified
ParaisoAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Babeque Secundaria
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Carol Morgan School of Santo Domingo
Verified
Santo DomingoAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Colegio Dominico Americano
Verified
Santo DomingoAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Comunidad Educativa Conexus
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare
Healthcare system overview for Dominican Republic
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Environment
CleanAir quality, water, and environmental conditions in Dominican Republic
Pollution Index
40/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
19.8ug/m3
Moderate
Environmental Quality
Air Quality100/100
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about living in Dominican Republic, answered with data
What is the cost of living in Dominican Republic?
Dominican Republic has a cost of living index of 40 relative to New York City (100). It is moderately affordable compared to the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $811 in Punta Cana and reach $1,044 in Santo Domingo.
What is the cheapest city in Dominican Republic for expats?
Punta Cana is the most affordable city in Dominican Republic in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $811 for a single person including rent. La Vega is the next most affordable at $812/mo.
Is Dominican Republic safe for expats?
Dominican Republic has a safety index of 59/100, making it generally safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Punta Cana scores highest on safety at 62/100.
What is the best city in Dominican Republic for expats and digital nomads?
La Vega ranks highest for quality of life in Dominican Republic, scoring 143/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $812/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Punta Cana offers the lowest monthly costs at $811/mo.
How good is healthcare in Dominican Republic?
Dominican Republic scores 58/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Is Dominican Republic cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Dominican Republic's cost of living is roughly 60% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 70% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
Before You Go
Core tools and insurance next steps for planning a move to Dominican Republic
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Side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, safety, healthcare, and more.
Cost of Living
Model monthly costs with Freedom Abroad estimates before you narrow the shortlist.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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