"Reasonable Income" - Cost of Living

[piranha]

Originally Posted by La Mariposa

He said he'll be able to eat at his workplace, gracias a Dios

Well spotted!

[planner]

Originally Posted by MommC

So not paying rent (we own) we spend CAN$2000 - CAN $2500. per month while there - or approx. what we spend at home in Canada.
In pesos it works out to about RD$26000. - RD$30000. per month.

Hmmmmmm did you fail math honey??? $2,000 Canadian = $52,000 RD at 26 to 1. I believe that is the current rate for canadian money. $2,500 Canadian is $65,000 RD!

[GringoCArlos]

QUOTE - Piranha

Would really appreciate your feedback & thoughts...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry to be a pain, but further to my earlier post. I would really appreciate your feedback on my specific circumstances and potential costs. Please!

All costs are per month.

Rent (Inc maintenance fees) US$650
Food US$100
Fuel (TBC - Subject to mileage)
Electricity (Inc air con) US$50
Telephone US$15
Water ???
Health insurance (Fully comprehensive) US$70
Dental costs US$15
Shopping (Clothes etc) US$50
Motoring (Servicing & maintenance) US$50
Entertainment (Socialising) US$300
Motor insurance ???
Home insurance (Comprehensive) ???


And if not included within US$650 Rent:
Cable TV US$20
Internet (High speed) US$60


- Please tell me, are my figures above realistic?
- Any other expenses which should be included?
- Any realistic estimates on the ‘???’?


(For your reference, I am a single guy, living on my own. I will be out at work 6/7 days a week (7.30-5.30), so I will only be home in the evenings. I will own a budget car that is paid for. I will be able to eat breakfast / lunch and dinner at my workplace. I will socialise a couple of evenings a week, involving a reasonable meal in restaurant and a few beers. I am looking to rent a 1 or, if possible, 2 bedroom apartment in the Punta Cana / Bavaro area with the following facilities: fully furnished, all appliances (washing machine, refrigerator, oven etc), air conditioning, fast internet, telephone, cable TV, shower, burglar alarm, inverter / generator and parking - in a secure & safe complex / neighbourhood).


Thanks very much.
END QUOTE------

Sorry, don't have many folks here from the Punta Cana area. I have no idea on rent there.

In Santo Domingo, I use Aster high speed cable for internet and cable TV - RD$2300 a month.

Telephone - US$15 a month may pay the cost to maintain a cell phone as active. This # might be OK if oyu are planning on just having an active cell phone in case of emergency, but other than that - this son't include many calls -Nobody to call in the UK?? A telephone in the house starts at about RD$500 a month just to have it active, no calls.

Car insurance for responsibilidad civil may run RD$500 a month, but no collision or comprehensive coverage included. Including those coverages, maybe RD$1500 a month these days, if your car value is RD$300k.

House insurance (comprehenxive) in Santo Domingo - a rough estimate of annual cost is 0.7% of the value you insure it for (including the government taxes) - i.e. RD$3 million value of house and contents = about RD$21,000 a year for insurance.

Yopu may need to buy an inverter, and batteries. Inverter of 1500 watts runs about RD$18,000 I think. Batteries run about $2800 each for the good ones, and less for the not-so-good batteries. If you have 4 batteries, that's another RD$10k, and it still won't run your refrigerator or washing machine, or A/C unit, just the fans.

Very few people pay more than RD$50 a month for water and garbage service in Santo Domingo.

Burglar alarm? That's another goody that you will probably need to buy on your own.

When you go looking for an apartment, ask the people living in the area how good their electricity and water service is, and how often they go out, and for how long.

Good Luck.

[2LeftFeet]

So what you are saying is that----- La Republica ---AIN"T CHEAP!!!!!

[MommC]

Originally Posted by planner

Hmmmmmm did you fail math honey??? $2,000 Canadian = $52,000 RD at 26 to 1. I believe that is the current rate for canadian money. $2,500 Canadian is $65,000 RD!

Guess I goofed, eh???

Was looking at a bank statement that only had one withdrawal on it.... when we arrived mid month!!!!

we withdraw RD$30,000 twice monthly so approx RD$60,000 per month.

My estimate also didn't include vehicle insurance which is paid in one lump sum of about RD$35,000. when we arrive each fall.

[piranha]

GringoCArlos: Thanks for the great info. Yes, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an abundance of people in the Punta Cana / Bavaro area!

US$15 telephone costs pm was for a landline and very few calls. I had forgotten to include a cell phone which I'm (hopefully correctly) estimating at about US$60 or so pm with not a huge amount of use.

Finally, wise words in your last paragraph.

Thanks very much. I hope you've had a good weekend.

[sweetdbt]

Originally Posted by 2LeftFeet

So what you are saying is that----- La Republica ---AIN"T CHEAP!!!!!

Is anyplace "cheap" these days??

Obviously there are things that are expensive in the DR, such as gasoline, electricity and some consumer goods. Other things are moderately priced and some, for instance rent and labor, are indeed cheap.

I think most of the complaints here are from folks who remember the "good old days" when you could live like a king on a relatively paltry income. I don't know if places like that exist any more, but if they do, they certainly aren't on caribbean islands!

If you read planner's list, it adds up to less than $800 USD a month. This is on the North coast, not out in the campo somewhere using an outhouse and bathing from a bucket. She's living an expat lifestyle in an apartment with AC, cable TV and high speed internet in a decent neighborhood, with a car and a social life. Not extravagent, but not "living like a Dominican in a poor barrio." I noticed that she put down zero for alcohol. I don't know if that means she doesn't drink or that someone else is buying. Having met her as well as reading her posts here, I think I'm safe in saying she is happy with her life.

This doesn't mean that those who spend more don't legitimately "need" to spend what they spend. I think we all have our own expectations. A former frequent poster here whose name shall not be mentioned, used to say he "got along fine on $5000 USD a month". Maybe for him that was what he "needed". (Considering the source, it's more likely it was just BS.)

[planner]

My alcohol consumption is pretty close to 0...... It is included in my entertainment and socializing. Again I don't spend much on that, I am too busy dancing to drink much other then water......LOL Especially in this heat.

[BeachyGirl]

Hi all. I was wondering, I added up all of the estimates each one of you gave and compared, and I was wondering, I am planning on moving to Punta Cana in September. I am a young single female, I will rent a studio or one bedroom, I will have a cell and need internet, I will get health insurance, and I am a vegan so I eat for pretty cheap though I do love my beer. I will live fairly close to where I work so I won't be needing a car, I will just rent one when I need to drive a distance, I will take the gua gua or ride my bike for most needs. My question is, based on that info, will I be able to live on a US$ 2000/month to get started? Is that doable? I am not looking for luxury, I just want to be simply comfortable.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!
BeachyGirl

[Caren M.]

Check your PMs