Moving to Brazil from Dominican Republic

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Dominican Republic to Brazil? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Dominican Republic to Brazil, you would find that Brazil is 4.8% cheaper than Dominican Republic overall. A DOP4,390,324 salary in Dominican Republic would need to be roughly R$317,015 in Brazil to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Dominican Republic and Brazil.

What does your salary buy?

DOP4,390,324 R$317,015

To maintain the same standard of living in Brazil

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.8% more

Groceries

pay 5.7% less

Transportation

pay 13.5% less

Housing

pay 28.1% less

Childcare

pay 34.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 DOP = 0.0876 BRL (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Brazil cost about 16% less than cities in Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic

Santiago 25%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Dominican Republic to Brazil.

Living there in 2020
1,274 ↑ 249% vs 2015

people born in Dominican Republic live in Brazil · UN DESA

Who's moving to Brazil?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Brazil compared to Dominican Republic.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DO
12.4
BR
20.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

DO
40%
BR
48%

Brazil 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

DO
$1,169
BR
$2,070
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

DO
22.3
BR
21.4

Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brazil leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DO
27.0
BR
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DO
3.0t
BR
2.3t

Brazil performs significantly better than Dominican Republic across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

DO
10.7
BR
21.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DO
39.5%
BR
1.5%

Brazil generally does better on infrastructure, though Dominican Republic leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DO
5.6%
BR
8.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DO
$23,100
BR
$18,600

Dominican Republic generally does better on employment & economy, though Brazil leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DO
72.6 yrs
BR
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DO
21.2
BR
13.3

Brazil generally does better on family life, though Dominican Republic leads in literacy rate.

Data: Direccion General de Impuestos Internos, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Brasilia Rain: 61.1 in/yr (1552 mm)
80° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santo Domingo Brasilia
Jan–Mar 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 80°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/72°F (30°/22°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/73°F (31°/23°C) 80°/58°F (27°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/71°F (30°/21°C) 80°/64°F (27°/17°C)
View all months
Month Santo Domingo Brasilia
Jan 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C)
Feb 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C) 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C)
Mar 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C) 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C)
Apr 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C) 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C)
May 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C) 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C)
Jun 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C)
Jul 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C) 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C)
Aug 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C) 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C)
Sep 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C) 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C)
Oct 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C) 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C)
Nov 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C) 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C)

Data: Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Dominican Republic passport

Dominican Republic passport holder visiting Brazil

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

Brazil passport holder visiting Dominican Republic

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Brazil than Dominican Republic?

On average Brazil is about 18% less expensive than Dominican Republic, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Brazil?

Budget about R$79,254 for 3 months in Brazil (based on a DOP4,390,324 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Brazil?

Connectivity is usually fine (Brazil: 21.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Brazil offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Brazil safe for expats?

Brazil generally does better on safety, though Dominican Republic leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Brazil is 20.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.4 in Dominican Republic. About 48% of people in Brazil feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Brazil compared to Dominican Republic?

Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brazil leads in health coverage index. There are 21.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Brazil, compared to 22.3 in Dominican Republic. Brazil scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Dominican Republic: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Brasilia is 80°F, compared to 87°F in Santo Domingo. Brasilia receives around 61.1 in of rainfall per year, while Santo Domingo gets 57.0 in.

What language do they speak in Brazil?

The official language in Brazil is Portuguese. In Dominican Republic, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

DO BR
Population 10,694,700 217,240,060
Currency Dominican Peso (DOP) Brazilian Real (R$)
Languages Spanish Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +55
Time zones 1 4
Emergency number 911 190