Living in the Dominican Republic

For some reason, the Dominican Republic doesn't get the same expat chatter as Thailand and Vietnam. But the Caribbean has a number of advantages over a number of Asian or Pacific Rim locations.

For North and South American residents, some of the attractions are obvious.

• The Dominican Republic is 90 minutes by air from Miami, Florida
• English is widely spoken
• Foreigners can buy land in their own name
• Residency is relatively simple
• Getting a Dominican passport is doable

.. just finished calculating our costs for living here (2 adults and three small girls) in the DR from January 1 to May 1 [2010]. Looking at my bank balances I calculate we are living off of around US$ 1100 a month. This includes internet, Vonage phone and cable. I don't have a car or house payment ..

Dominican Republic Beaches

Because Dominican Republic is part of a large island (shared with Haiti) in the Caribbean, it has lots of beaches and resort areas. Three of a dozen of the most most prominent beach areas.

• Boca Chica

Santa Domingo's beach, near the Mirador del Este Sports Park, sports a diverse user experience. Local families mix with tourists, hordes of students who commute from Las Americas Institute of Technology, and employees of multi-national firms with offices in the San Isidro and Las Americas Free Zones. Chances are that if you are on a business expat package, you will become very familiar with Boca Chica.

• Cabarette

Wind surfers or kite boarders will love Cabarette. The six kilometer long stretch of sand is a sports-minded location that can appeal to the spectator as well. It's more like an international neighborhood than a tourist destination. Cabarette is a great place to spend an afternoon, a month .. or a lifetime.

• Punta Cana & Bavaro

Cap Cana, Punta Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Bavaro, El Cortecito, Arena Gorda, Macao and Uvero Alto are part of the Punta Cana & Bavaro region. The area is on the east coast of the Dominican Republic and reputed to have the best beaches in the country. Kilometers of fine white sand adds to the relaxing atmosphere.

...Serenity del Sol is a boutique style [condo] complex of only 10 units. It is located in a very quiet area, approximately 3 km. east, from the Center of Cabarete. You are steps to an expansive beach, that you can walk for miles in either direction, with no obstructions. Just nice sandy beaches and beautiful blue green waters.We get cool breezes due to the well known winds of Cabarete. The units all have wonderful views.

We have our Fabulous 3000 square ft two bed room, 2 bath designer furnished Penthouse available for sale or rent. Four incredible balconies with fantastic views of ocean. Very affordably priced with highest quality materials. Best bang for your buck in cabarete! Appliances and furniture included, airconditioning, pool, only steps to the beach. Only $264,000 US.

Other smaller condos availble in same building, from $106,000

Visa & Residency

A passport or equivalent national identity document is generally required to travel to the Dominican Republic. Citizens of the U.S. & Canada can enter with a tourist card purchased at the port of entry.

Entry without visa or tourist card is available for citizens of Argentina, Chile, South Korea, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Peru, Liechtenstein and Uruguay. Read more about long stays and residency in the Dominican Republic (coming)