The Dominican Republic shares half of the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, and it is home to a large population of expatriates. People come here to vacation in places like Punta Cana, but they come back to retire because of the weather, the beautiful landscapes, and the lovely people.
The DR has high mountains that loom over the beautiful white sand beaches, and the country is home to many villages that have popped up around massive resorts. This may not be the cheapest place to live, but it is becoming an ideal place to retire. Read more to learn how to find apartments for sale in Sosua.
If you have budgeted properly, you can live comfortably in the DR on $1000 a month per person. You may want to expand your budget to $2000, but that is more than enough for you to live well. You can retire here without the millions that you would need to retire in America, and you can save money for the future that cannot save if you stay in America.
Where Should You Live?
You can find nice housing options around the country. You could move to the capitol of Santo Domingo, or you might try the resort town of Punta Cana. There are coastal communities like Cabrera, Samana, and Puerto Plata. Plus, you might want to live inland in places like Santiago de Los Caballeros, Jarabacoa, and Constanza. You might not want to live in tourist destinations like Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, and that will lead you to move to a place like Sosua where it is a bit quieter.
Planning For Your Expenses
You need to plan for your expenses when you move to the Dominican Republic. You can find inexpensive places to live, but you need to plan for utilities and other expenses. Remember that you will spend more money if you try to move into the tourist towns like Punta Cana. Plus, you will spend more money if you move closer to the center of any large city.
If you move to the center of Santo Domingo, you will spend about $415 a month on rent. Of course, you will spend less if you move to a place like Sosua. Because of this, you can easily live comfortably on $1000 a month. You are living in a smaller city that allows you to eat good food and meet good people. Plus, the country is so small that you can get to the beach in an hour.
If you have your heart set on living in Sosua, you should look at housing on the outskirts of the city. You could drop your rent as low as $250 a month, and you will have a little extra money to help you enjoy living on the island.
A good rule for apartments for sale Sosua is that you pay about $100 a month when you move to the urban areas of the city. You will pay about $100 more a month if you move into the center of the city. You are in control of your budget, and you need to decide exactly how much you want to spend.
Your Utilities
Utilities will change from city to city because each community has its own water system and power grid. However, the national average for all your utilities is a little over $60 every month. This means that you can afford trash collection, water, gas, and electric for a tiny amount. If you are budgeting for the future, you should increase that amount just a bit when more people are living with you. Some couples prefer to move to the DR in groups, and the utilities for a three-bedroom apartment hosting six people will be more than your one-bedroom apartment.
Real estate Sosua properties spend the most money on the air conditioner. You are living very close to the Equator, and it will be warm for most of the year. Ensure that you are prepared to keep the AC on for much of the year.
You can get unlimited Internet throughout the country for about $50 a month, You can buy a prepaid cell phone if you like, or you might use a global plan attached to the cell phone service you used in the States. If you do not talk much, you can afford the average of 17 cents a minute for phone calls.
Dining Out
If you are the sort of person who likes to dine out every night, you can expect to pay a little over $30 for a three-course meal that feeds two people. This is a good deal if you plan to go out often, but you need to decide how many dinners you plan to eat on the town. As always, you will spend less money if you are dining outside the city centers or tourist areas.
Medical Care
Health care generally costs much less in the Dominican Republic than it does in America. However, medical care varies in terms of quality. The public clinics do not tend to offer the best care, and you will find many sick locals in these clinics. Expats who live on the island tend to visit private hospitals and clinics. These clinics cost a bit more money, but they offer outstanding care.
You may want to get health insurance for yourself and your partner. You will pay somewhere between $30 and $100 a month for insurance. You can often get a policy before you arrive so that you are not shopping only with local companies.
What Else Are You Paying For?
You will spend about $100 a month when buying cleaning supplies and household goods. You may need to add to your budget if you need things like contact lenses, natural cleaning products, or specialty air filters. You might want to add clothing to your budget, or you may add travel to your budget if you are taking charter boats to other locations around the Caribbean.
Transportation
The largest cities in the Dominican Republic have public buses that you can take from one place to another. However, most people use publicos. These vans and cars are driven by private drivers who will negotiate a fare with you. You can take a motorcycle taxi that is known as a motoconcho, or you might run across a traditional taxi that picks up fares at taxi stands in big cities. For the most part, you will pay a little over 50 cents per ride.
Your Sample Budget
Here is a brief example of the cost of living in Sosua. When you are looking for houses for sale Sosua properties, you can use this sample budget to decide how much money you need to live comfortably. If you want to spend $1000 a month in Sosua, you can spend $250-$300 on your apartment. You will spend $200 on food, $100-$150 on utilities including your Internet and phone. You may spend about $100 for household items, and you need around $30 for public transportation. You have about $200 to spend on dining out and other fun activities around town. You can live comfortably in the Dominican Republic, and you can live like royalty if you doubled your budget to $2000 a month.
