Moving to Dominican Republic from Bahamas

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Bahamas to Dominican Republic — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Bahamas to Dominican Republic, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Bahamas to Dominican Republic, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
40 ↑ 3% vs 2015

people born in Bahamas live in Dominican Republic · UN DESA

Who's moving to Dominican Republic?

Top countries of origin for Dominican Republic's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Bahamas and Dominican Republic stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BS
31.2
DO
12.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BS
16.2
DO
27.4

Bahamas generally does better on safety, though Dominican Republic leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BS
$2,316
DO
$1,169
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BS
18.5
DO
22.3

Bahamas generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Dominican Republic leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BS
10.0
DO
27.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BS
3.6t
DO
3.0t

Bahamas generally does better on environment, though Dominican Republic leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BS
20.5
DO
10.7

Bahamas performs better than Dominican Republic across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BS
9.2%
DO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BS
$32,000
DO
$23,100

Bahamas generally does better on employment & economy, though Dominican Republic leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BS
76.1 yrs
DO
72.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BS
12.8
DO
21.2

Bahamas generally does better on family life, though Dominican Republic leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Bahamas, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nassau Rain: 55.0 in/yr (1396 mm)
84° / 69°F

Avg. annual high / low

Santo Domingo Rain: 57.0 in/yr (1447 mm)
87° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nassau Santo Domingo
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/70°F (30°/21°C) 87°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/75°F (32°/24°C) 89°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 83°/69°F (28°/20°C) 87°/71°F (30°/21°C)
View all months
Month Nassau Santo Domingo
Jan 78°/63°F (25.6°/17.1°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C)
Feb 78°/63°F (25.7°/17.3°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C)
Mar 80°/64°F (26.7°/17.9°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C)
Apr 82°/67°F (27.9°/19.3°C) 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C)
May 85°/70°F (29.6°/21.1°C) 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C)
Jun 88°/73°F (31.1°/23.0°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Jul 90°/75°F (32.0°/23.7°C) 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C)
Aug 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.8°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C)
Sep 89°/74°F (31.5°/23.5°C) 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C)
Oct 86°/72°F (30.0°/22.3°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C)
Nov 82°/69°F (28.0°/20.5°C) 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C)
Dec 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.4°C) 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C)

Data: Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bahamas and Dominican Republic. To live, work, or study long-term in Dominican Republic, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Dominican Republic's immigration authority.

Bahamas passport

Bahamas passport holder visiting Dominican Republic

Visa Free
Bahamas passport holders can enter Dominican Republic without a visa.
Dominican Republic passport

Dominican Republic passport holder visiting Bahamas

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Dominican Republic passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Bahamas.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Dominican Republic?

With 10.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Dominican Republic can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Bahamas and Dominican Republic.

Is Dominican Republic safe for expats?

Bahamas generally does better on safety, though Dominican Republic leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Dominican Republic is 12.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 31.2 in Bahamas.

How is healthcare in Dominican Republic compared to Bahamas?

Bahamas generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Dominican Republic leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Dominican Republic, compared to 18.5 in Bahamas. Dominican Republic scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bahamas: 77).

What's the weather like in Dominican Republic compared to Bahamas?

The average high temperature in Santo Domingo is 87°F, compared to 84°F in Nassau. Santo Domingo receives around 57.0 in of rainfall per year, while Nassau gets 55.0 in.

What language do they speak in Dominican Republic?

The official language in Dominican Republic is Spanish. In Bahamas, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

BS DO
Population 355,608 10,694,700
Currency Bahamian Dollar (BSD) Dominican Peso (DOP)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1242 +1
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911