Americas · Spanish · updated 2026-10

Moving to the Dominican Republic: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,250 a month to live in Santo Domingo, and a family of four about $2,650, including rent. The Dominican Republic grants permanent residence from day one on its main route, with citizenship after 2 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Rentista and the Pensionado.

Monthly budget

$1,250

Very low cost

Safety

Take care

Stability

Moderate

Family

Fair

Main city: Santo Domingo
Language: Spanish
Permanent residence: Day 1
Citizenship: 2 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Digital nomad visa: No

What can your passport do in the Dominican Republic?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.

Open the interactive index →

Cost of living in Dominican Republic, per month in US$

One person

$1,250

Family of four

$2,650

RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther

1-bed flat, Santo Domingo centre

$650

Estimate

3-bed family flat

$1,200

Estimate

Price level

US = 100

Income per person

$885

GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score

Take care

Homicides per 100k

10.92

US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability

+0.61

Rule of law

−0.12

Control of corruption

+0.01

Government effectiveness

+0.04

−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Moderate overall (51/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score

Fair

Child outcomes (HCI)

0.503

Health & schooling, 0–1

Under-5 mortality

30.6

per 1,000 births

Life expectancy

73.9 yrs

at birth

Health spending

$489

per person / year

Education spending

3.8%

of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Passive income

Rentista$2,000/month passive income; permanent residence directly.

Passive income

Pensionado$1,500/month lifetime pension.

Investment

Investor$200,000 investment.

Job offer

Work visaWith a Dominican employer.

Who gets easier access to the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is not part of a free-movement area in the index.

Visiting: 108 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 90 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs

Permanent residence: Day 1; Rentista, pensioner and investor routes grant permanent residence directly
Citizenship: 2 yrs; 2 years after residence; 6 months for investors
Dual citizenship: Allowed

Last checked 2026-10.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in the Dominican Republic?

About $1,250 a month for one person and $2,650 for a family of four in Santo Domingo, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $650 a month and a 3-bedroom around $1,200. Prices are 38% of US levels. The Dominican Republic is the 16th cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is the Dominican Republic safe to live in?

The Dominican Republic scores 35/100 for safety (take care), ranking 67th of 76. The homicide rate is 10.92 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is the Dominican Republic politically stable?

The Dominican Republic scores 51/100 for stability (moderate), ranking 54th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is the Dominican Republic good for families?

The Dominican Republic scores 30/100 for family-friendliness (fair), ranking 70th of 76. Life expectancy is 73.9 years and under-5 mortality is 30.6 per 1,000 births.