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
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
How safe residents feel in Dominican Republic - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
59/100
Crime Index
44/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
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.
Villa Francisca
$782/mo
Villa Francisca
63/100
Villa Francisca
144/200
Santo Domingo
71/100
| 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 Macorís | $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 Cristóbal | $829 | 61/100 | 142/200 | 57/100 | 36 |
| Puerto Plata | $827 | 61/100 | 142/200 | 57/100 | 36 |
| San Francisco de Macorís | $821 | 61/100 | 143/200 | 57/100 | 35 |
| Salvaleón de Higüey | $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 |
| Baní | $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 |
| Cotuí | $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 Bisonó | $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 |
| Río 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
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Dominican Republic. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
18
Verified records
5
Cities covered
3
Credential signals
Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Paraiso
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
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Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
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Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Higuey
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
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Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
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Sosua
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
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Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
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Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
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Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Santo Domingo
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Santiago
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
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 system overview for Dominican Republic
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A portion of affiliate revenue is donated to UNHCR
Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Dominican Republic
Pollution Index
40/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
19.8ug/m3
Moderate
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Dominican Republic, answered with data
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Your pre-departure checklist for Dominican Republic
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Cost of Living
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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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