The Money Thread and Stupidity

You can't live with 12,000 a month.Are you guys idiots?I live with 3000 pesos a month.Boy if I had 12K I'd be rich! I'm from Miami and when I'm in the DR visiting my grandparents that is what I spend a month or less.Your right about the women.Most don't want you if you ain't got the green.Then again who wants a woman if they only want you for your money.You foreigners are so stupid cause these women suck the money out of you to spend it with the guy they really love.Its funny I talk to these girls and guys all the time about how you 12k and up monthly spenders cry about how you don't have enough money for this and that.Well you ain't gettin no sympathy from me.Just keep being suckers!

I think you have got your wires a little bit crossed. Most of those replying to the post indicate that they feel RD $12,000 per month IS enough ARE FOREIGNERS (that is the reason we are stupid & dreamers acording to Tourist watcher (PLEASE, I ask again - What DOES that mean??). The only two who are stating that RD $12,000 p.m. is NOT enough is a Canadian (why else would he call himself Canadianjoe?), & what I suspect to be a Latin, maybe even a Dominican.

I agree with you .... there are numerous families living on less than RD $12,000 per month & most of them are enjoying their lifestyles. Mind you, none of them own a Firebird, spend RD $900 out on an oil change, live in an apartment already paid for in full, eat out at Fast Food Joints or have the expensive lifestyle of Tourist Watcher. Perhaps Canadianjoe should "Shop Around" a little more & find the places that don't charge an arm & a leg for goods &/or try using local produce rather than the imported stuff - it is a lot better for you & about 1/2 the price normally PLUS it helps the local populace with continued employment.

Sorry Stewart, it appears I am misguiding you away from a luxurious lifestyle by suggesting you can live in Santo Domingo on RD $12,000 p.m. I wasn't aware that so many people earned over RD $10,000 down there that only just gave them a barely liveable lifestyle. Better come up north where we live normal lives!! - Grahame.

Oh i'm sorry.Tourist watcher and CanadianJoe should realize that the vast majority of Dominicans earn less than 3k per month.Just take a lokk at all the fre zones and the average wage is around 2k.By the way what is the unempolyment rate at? Official stats are full of crap and way below reality. These pompous,arrogant dweebs should take some of that excess and share it with those barrio dwellers they look down upon.

The bare minimum I need to live on in the DR is RD$25,000/month. That does not include party money. That's just to pay the bills and does not include a vehicle.

Food RD$8000 (Includes some dining out)
Rent RD$5000 (2 bedroom unfurnished)
Utilities RD$2500 (Phone,Water,Cable,Electric,Internet,Propane, Cellular)
Transport RD$3000 (Taxi,bus,publico)
Misc RD$6500 (US$13/day)

A more comfortable budget would be at least double that amount. Then I could buy clothes, pay the doctor/dentist bills, buy a vehicle and insurance, enjoy some nightlife, buy an occassional CD, pay for gasoline, and maybe even take a trip once in a while.

Jim Hinsch

Anyone else :

1500.00DR$ for the house-rent (unfurnished)
3000.00RD$ for the food
3000.00RD$ for the misc.
1500.00RD$ for motoconchos, guaguas, transports...

roughly 9000.00RD$, but yeah, it's kinda frugal, you gotta go with the flow mosta the time... Then again, the more money you have, the more you spend... If we had more, we would surely spend more... So Jim is right in his own way...

In spite of the widely varied strong opinions I have found this thread to be very helpful in estimating a cost of living in the DR

thanks
guys

I just met a guy who lived for two weeks with 50 Pesos - he took them to visit me here in the capital (I think he usually needs about RD$ 1000 monthly!)! He is german and owns a small finca which gives him all the food! (Close to Sto Dgo!!!)

So if you guys think Puerto Plata is cheaper think of this!

LOL

Henry

Grahame you don't have a clue
you have no idea what the cost of produce is in Canada or the US-how dare you assert that the cost of local produce is cheaper here than in Canada--even in the off season it's cheaper in canada-my god in the winter months in canada we get our tropical imports from mexico, the us and south america for a lot less than it costs here- i said towards the start of this thread that if you were coming from the uk it's probably cheaper here--but no way if you're coming from north america
local produce is probably a lot cheaper here than in the uk but smarten up-it's cheaper in north america
i said it before --if you don't believe me, look at my thread entitled "so you want to live in the Dr" and challenge any of my figures---to date no one has chosen to do so--that should tell you something

Thank you Jim - at last someone's views whom I can appreciate. I don't neccessaririly agree with your figures but then I don't know your lifestyle & I don't know the figures for living in Santo Domingo. I acknowledged that in my first posting & gave what I thought was a fair assesment bearing in mind the prices up in Puerto Plata & the competitive nature of the Capital.

Obviously it is FAR more expensive to live in the Capital than up here as despite what Canadianjoe & Tourist Watcher alledge, I DO live comfortably on RD $12,000 p.m. In FACT,
our food bill is RD $3,000 p.m. (many survive on less)
Rent we don't have but a fair rent for a 2 bedroomed apartment here is RD $5,000
Gas is RD $50 p.m.
Electricity is just under RD $1,200
Water is RD $90
Petrol for each car is RD $400
Telephone is RD $800 (+ RD $250 for the fax machine)
Misc. is around RD $2,000 (tops)

This gives us a monthly outgoing of RD $8,190 so if you include a rental od RD $5,000, a couple can eat well & enjoy life (not much nightlife agreed because we don't need that at our age) on less than RD $13,000. Bear in mind we have 2 cars & a fax so costs COULD come down a bit.

From previous responses it is clear not many people agree with Canadianjoe that it is more expensive to live here than in Canada but I can not state that for a fact because as he so rightly says, I have never lived there. From what my American & Canadian friends tell me, plus what responses I have read on this board, I have doubts as to the authenticity of the figures he quotes. I WILL check his figures for living here & respond as he states that no-one has yet argued with his figures.

Where do you live Jim? Tourist Watcher advises us that people who pay less than RD $10,000 p.m. for rent in Santo Domingo, live in Barrios so it can't be there ... Can IT?
Regards - Grahame.

Joe,
Read my response to Jim please. I DO live on less than RD $12,000 p.m. but I must admit as to not having to pay rent as we now own our house.

You are right, I have not been to Canada & don't know cost of living expenses first hand - I can only work on the information supplied by my North American & Canadian friends plus the reports written on this board, most of whom dissagree with you. I don't recall ever having said it is less expensive to live in the DR than it is in Canada (please correct me if I am wrong) but I did say it is possible to buy local goods cheaper than the imported stuff - I stand by that remark. I also don't recall having been offensive or abusive in my comments about your quoted prices, style of living etc., whereas your tone has been aggressive (to say the least) from your first posting - WHY?? Don't mistake my observation as being concerned by this, I can quite happily take it (I'm a grown man now & can give valued, logical & coherent responses to people who ask leading questions - even the rude ones!!), but I really do think you should become a little less aggressive for your own healths sake. Nobody attacked you so why get all defensive by attacking?

You are right, I did not study very hard the string "So you want to live in the DR. I shall look at your quotations for living in this country & respond with whatever I dissagree with, complete with 'why's & wherefore's'.
Am I correct in assuming you live in Costamber? Do you shop at Messon's, Tropical &/or Polanco's? - Regards - Grahame.

Have a peacful day.