What the Dominican Republic Actually Is: 11 million people; eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, sharing a border with Haiti?

11 million people; eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, sharing a border with Haiti

What the Dominican Republic Actually Is: Santo Domingo metro: 3?

Santo Domingo metro: 3.5 million; oldest European-founded city in the Americas (1496)

Tourist entry: 30 days visa-free, extendable to a full year by purchasing extension at departure

Pensionado Visa: $1,500/month foreign pension income; significant tax benefits and import duty exemptions

Public system (SENASA): basic coverage but chronically underfunded; most foreign residents use private

Best private hospitals concentrated in Santo Domingo and Santiago — competitive with Costa Rica or Panama

Comfortable expat-zone retirement: $2,500-4,500/month for a couple

Modest living in non-tourist Dominican neighborhoods: $1,500-2,200/month

No major restrictions on foreign ownership — including beachfront and border zones

Process: Promise of Sale → due diligence → Deed of Sale → Title Registry registration

Territorial-leaning system: foreign-source pension and investment income generally not taxed

Annual property tax (IPI): 1% only on value above ~$165K threshold; many properties exempt

Name: Dominican Republic
Address: Dominican Republic

Honest guide to living in Dominican Republic for foreign buyers — Pensionado visa, Punta Cana, Cap Cana, Caribbean access, trade-offs.