How much does a trip to Dominican Republic cost? Daily budget and prices

These are per-person, per-day figures for 2026, assuming two people share a room at mid-range and comfort level. Flights are not included. The gap between budget and comfort is roughly tenfold, and most of it sits in the bed line.

A plato del día at a comedor is the cheapest full meal you will find, and it is what most Dominicans eat at midday. Restaurant bills in sit-down places add 18% ITBIS tax and a 10% legal service charge on top of menu prices, so a DOP 800 dish lands nearer DOP 1,020. Resorts and tour operators usually quote in US dollars, which is why Punta Cana feels more expensive than it looks on paper.

Your choice of base changes the budget more than any other decision. Punta Cana prices run two to three times those of Santo Domingo, and the resort strip is quoted in dollars. Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial gives you museums, restaurants and city transport at peso prices. The Samaná Peninsula and the north coast sit between the two: cheaper beds than Punta Cana, but fewer cheap transport options.

All-inclusive rates bundle food and drink into the room price, which is why the comfort tier shows a food range starting at zero. If you leave the resort for meals, add the restaurant line back in. Outside the resorts, cash matters: colmados, motoconchos and guaguas do not take cards, so carry pesos for small purchases and use ATMs inside banks or malls in daylight.

Eat your main meal at lunch from a comedor and keep dinner simple; that single habit can halve the food line. Take coaches and guaguas between towns instead of private transfers, and use the Santo Domingo metro where it runs. Book tours locally rather than through your hotel, and compare two or three operators before committing.

Travel in the low season if your dates are flexible, and stay in one base rather than moving every two days — intercity coaches cost DOP 400–600 each time and eat a day. If you are weighing a resort against independent travel, price the all-inclusive against a mid-range hotel plus restaurant meals before deciding.

All figures are 2026 estimates and move with the exchange rate, season and fuel prices. Prices in Punta Cana and other resort areas are commonly quoted in US dollars, so your peso budget shifts with the rate on the day. Restaurant bills include the 18% ITBIS tax and 10% service charge unless stated otherwise.

Coach fares and some tour prices are planning bands rather than quotes: confirm the current number with the operator or at the terminal before you commit.