Moving to Dominican Republic from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Dominican Republic — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Dominican Republic, you would find that Dominican Republic is 1.1% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly DOP4,520,000 in Dominican Republic to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santo Domingo averages 87°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Dominican Republic cheaper than South Africa?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 8.4% less
Groceries
pay 14.7% more
Transportation
pay 27.6% less
Housing
pay 12.5% more
Childcare
pay 7.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.5% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Dominican Republic?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → DOP4,520,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Dominican Republic
Calculate with your salary →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 22% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Dominican Republic, based on official data.
Who's moving to Dominican Republic?
Top countries of origin for Dominican Republic's foreign-born residents.
- 496,112
- 34,063
- 14,626
- 7,272
- 4,780
- 4,375
- · · ·
-
89.10
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Dominican Republic.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Dominican Republic generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Dominican Republic performs significantly better than South Africa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Dominican Republic performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Dominican Republic generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Dominican Republic performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Dominican Republic leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Direccion General de Impuestos Internos (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Dominican Republic vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 87°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 89°/73°F (31°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 87°/71°F (30°/21°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá
Can you move from South Africa to Dominican Republic?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Dominican Republic
Visa Free
Dominican Republic passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa RequiredData: 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 South Africa?
Costs in Dominican Republic and South Africa are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Dominican Republic?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly DOP1,130,000 in Dominican Republic on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Dominican Republic?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Dominican Republic has 11.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Dominican Republic safe for expats?
Dominican Republic generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Dominican Republic is 10.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 40% of people in Dominican Republic feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Dominican Republic compared to South Africa?
Dominican Republic performs significantly better than South Africa across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 24.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Dominican Republic, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Dominican Republic scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Dominican Republic compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Santo Domingo is 87°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Santo Domingo receives around 57.0 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Dominican Republic?
The official language in Dominican Republic is Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Dominican Republic
At a Glance
ZA
|
DO
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 11,520,487 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Dominican Peso (DOP) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +1 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 911 |