Moving to Dominican Republic from New Jersey

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from New Jersey to Dominican Republic, you would find that Dominican Republic is 51.6% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly DOP2,108,293 in Dominican Republic to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santo Domingo averages 87°F vs 63°F in Trenton, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 DOP2,108,293

To maintain the same standard of living in Dominican Republic

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 61.2% less

Groceries

pay 54.4% less

Transportation

pay 10.6% less

Housing

pay 67.4% less

Childcare

pay 85.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 60.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 58.51 DOP (August 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 Dominican Republic cost about 60% less than cities in New Jersey.

New Jersey

Princeton 87%

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 New Jersey to Dominican Republic.

Living there in 2020
14,626 ↑ 4% vs 2015

people born in United States 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

The numbers behind daily life in Dominican Republic compared to New Jersey.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
DO
27.6%

Dominican Republic performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
DO
85.0%

New Jersey performs better than Dominican Republic across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NJ
4.5%
DO
5.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
DO
$23,100

New Jersey performs better than Dominican Republic across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NJ
77.5 yrs
DO
72.6 yrs

New Jersey performs better than Dominican Republic across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Trenton Rain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Santo Domingo
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 87°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 89°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 87°/71°F (30°/21°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Santo Domingo
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C) 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Dominican Republic

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

Dominican Republic passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Dominican Republic passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Dominican Republic than New Jersey?

On average Dominican Republic is about 52% less expensive than New Jersey, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Dominican Republic?

Budget about DOP527,073 for 3 months in Dominican Republic (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Dominican Republic?

From major Dominican Republic cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Jersey and Dominican Republic are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Dominican Republic compared to New Jersey?

Dominican Republic performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Santo Domingo is 87°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Santo Domingo receives around 57.0 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

What language do they speak in Dominican Republic?

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

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At a Glance

DO
Population 8,791,894 10,694,700
Currency United States Dollar ($) Dominican Peso (DOP)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +1
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 911