Relocating to Santo Domingo on Monday need advice on serviced apart.

I can't find any serviced apartment at less than 800 USD?

YOu wont find regular apartments on the internet.  Plan to arrive, spend some time in a hotel or apartahotel and then you will easily find a place. Boots on the ground are the only way to go here.  What area are you looking in?

AND welcome to the forums!

Hi, thanks a lot for your reply and the advice. We're looking all over Santo Domingo. Where would you recommend? Budget $500 

Hello Joseanna

I really hope you can find a good place to stay in Sto Domingo for just $500.

Try to stay in a Hotel close to the area you want to live, and start doing your search once here.

Cheers.

Will do. Thanks a lot!

Good advice,  now to select an area.  First you want to stay away from most of the Barrios.  They are poorer by nature, have less electric service and sometimes water issues.

You want to also stay away from the business and touristy areas as they will be too expensive! 

Things to consider -  electricity supply (A circuits have no programmed interruptions, B circuits are planned to go out  4 hours a day etc etc)  Internet / phone / cable tv options - look at what companies supply the area AND have capacity ( personal experience waiting 4months for a "line" to become available )  water service, garbage pickup,  safety of the area etc. 

I have experience with  Miramar - middle class area, good services, some areas are B circuit and some are C or D so be careful. I had a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom plus an office and a yard for  under  US 500 a month

Gasque - nice area lots of services, good electricity zone but more expensive you will need to get lucky to stay in budget.

COlonial Zone -  expensive and noisy.

Piantini/Naco -  bloody expensive

Santo Domingo East -  some very nice inexpensive areas, but look around.

Hope that gets you started.

Thanks so much for the great advice.  Great insight. How do I identify an A circuit zone? I can't be dealing with electrical interruptions. There is a 4 month wait for telephone lines? OMG!

Once you know an area, streets etc the electrical company can tell you the circuit and there is a website.  No, not necessary a wait, that was one experience. Just best to check. 

Electrical interruptions happen everywhere here. You will need a backup system!

Thanks a lot. 

For battery backups you have a few choices.

1. Batteries with quasi-wave inverter. Cheapest.
2. Batteries with pure sine wave. This is good in that no devices hum when turned on. More expensive. You can't get pure sine wave device in smaller cities. Have to go to SD, Santiago or expat cities. Will be crazy expensive if you want it to run everything in the house. Meaning 5-7KW or above.
3. Solar system. Most expensive. But at least the electricity is stable and your air conditioners will work. A/C does not work with #1 and not sure about #2 above.

I probably missed something here so someone reading can add/modify to this.

Los Cacicazgos is one of the best areas too and well located in Sto Domingo, the electricity supply is very stable. Have a look at this hood too.

Cheers.

So Punta Cana sounds like a bad choice because it's so expensive? Let's see, an apartment in the best places can be had for $5-900 per month for a decent 1-2 bedroom apartment in a secured and gated neighborhood.  In a less secured neighborhood, most likely the equivalent to anywhere in SD, you can get an apartment for $250 - 400 per month.  Cable TV, Electricity, Internet, Telephone can be up and running within a week.  Big name Grocery stores are about the same in cost, naturally the fresh food markets in SD, San Pedro and Higuey are superior.  Can't beat SD for the Rum Factory stores but if you are patient, the grocery stores in PC will put their alcohol on sale and you can stock up.  Electricity is generally good 99.5% of the time.  I recommend a UPS for any sensitive equipment anywhere in DR, if not within a few months you will most likely be looking at some costly replacements. Don't waste your time with the local electricity company blaming them for their short burst outages, you'll only get empty promises at best.  Gas prices are the same everywhere.  Medical prices the same although better health care in SD.  Clothing, not an issue, you only need a couple of outfits and if you are working for a company, a uniform or 2.  Opportunities can be found anywhere depending on what you are looking for.  I'm not sure why anyone would want to go to SD but then I never really liked big cities.  I prefer the beautiful beaches, excellent golf courses, the occasional stay or day pass in a nice resort and the tourists.  We have lots of fun with tourists.  Nothing better than happy people on vacation.

Mike,

That's reassuring. Thanks!
Can you suggest a gated community for $400 to $500? 1 bedroom would be fine for me. By the way, what's a UPS?

Thanks,
Jose

Drtuttle, thanks for your reply. Can you suggest a gated community in los Cazicazgos?

Can anyone suggest a good gated community?

Will do thanks. Can  you suggest the best areas to live in?

In the Punta Cana area, yes.  I can get you a 2 bedroom apartment for $500.00 (plus electricity) in a private, gated community, close to everything, with beautiful swimming pools and gardens and 24hr. security patrol.  It's located 10 minutes from PC airport, 10 minutes from San Juan shopping centre and 15 minutes from the beach.  Also includes a daily shuttle service in your rent that will take you to either the beach or San Juan mall , drop you and pick you up again in 4 hours.  PM me for more details.

Thanks a lot!

Ok to joseanna,  you said Santo Domingo!  Punta Cana is a good 2 hours away by car.  So are you going to Santo Domingo or is it up for discussion? No sense wasting time discussing other locations and why to go there if you are set on Santo Domingo.  I for one enjoyed Santo Domingo while I was there -  almost 4 years I lived  there.

Gated communities in Santo Domingo will cost you big money. An apartment building with a gated parking lot  will still cost you but not as much.

Again, once you know where you are going -  get a hotel or apartahotel and hit the streets. That is how you find a mid range priced place to live.  Most of the time only the expensive units are on the internet.

Hi, I have to be in Santo Domingo.