Moving to Dominican Republic from United Kingdom

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from United Kingdom to Dominican Republic, you would find that Dominican Republic is 47.0% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,766 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly DOP2,354,092 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 60°F in London, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to Dominican Republic.

What does your salary buy?

£55,766 DOP2,354,092

To maintain the same standard of living in Dominican Republic

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 55.1% less

Groceries

pay 24.3% less

Transportation

pay 33.8% less

Housing

pay 57.8% less

Childcare

pay 79.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 58.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 78.73 DOP (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 Dominican Republic cost about 44% less than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Dominican Republic

Santiago 25%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Dominican Republic

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
503 ↑ 4% vs 2015

people born in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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

GB
1.0
DO
12.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
DO
27.4

United Kingdom performs better than Dominican Republic across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GB
$6,606
DO
$1,169
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GB
31.7
DO
22.3

Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GB
13.0
DO
27.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
DO
3.0t

United Kingdom 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

GB
41.4
DO
10.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GB
14.3%
DO
39.5%

United Kingdom 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

GB
4.1%
DO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
DO
$23,100

United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Dominican Republic leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GB
81.9 yrs
DO
72.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
3.8
DO
21.2

United Kingdom performs better than Dominican Republic across all family life metrics.

Data: HM Revenue & Customs, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Santo Domingo
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 87°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 89°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 87°/71°F (30°/21°C)
View all months
Month London Santo Domingo
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Dominican Republic

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

Dominican Republic passport holder visiting United Kingdom

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

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 United Kingdom?

Generally yes: Dominican Republic runs about 46% cheaper than United Kingdom on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a £55,766 comparable salary, that's around DOP588,523 in Dominican Republic for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

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 United Kingdom and Dominican Republic.

Is Dominican Republic safe for expats?

United Kingdom performs better than Dominican Republic across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Dominican Republic is 12.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.

How is healthcare in Dominican Republic compared to United Kingdom?

Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 22.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Dominican Republic, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Dominican Republic scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Santo Domingo is 87°F, compared to 60°F in London. Santo Domingo receives around 57.0 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in Dominican Republic?

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

Share this

At a Glance

GB DO
Population 67,791,400 10,694,700
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Dominican Peso (DOP)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +1
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999 911