Top 5 Places to Live in Dominican Republic



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In today’s video I share the top 5 places to live in Dominican Republic based on my own personal experiences living here the last 2+ years.

49 Replies to “Top 5 Places to Live in Dominican Republic

  1. It is funny. I would have selected those very same 5 sports if I were just to enjoy nature without having to mingle with locals. Jarabacoa, Terrenas, Cabarete and Puerto Plata are expats’ safe havens, and Piantini is a very exclusive neighborhood. In addition, I think you overlooked Juan Dolio; beautiful beaches, Metro Country Club, a strong italian community, 20 minutes from the Las Americas airport and a 30-35 minutes drive to Santo Domingo amenities. Also Juan Folio is only a 45 minutes drive to La Romana.

  2. Great list Jamie…. One city that was not mentioned is…Barahona. One of the most beautiful cities on the island…. It's about a 4 hour drive from Santo Domingo. I'm looking to invest in that region soon. I've been telling My American friends, and family about Punta Cana for years, and now they are starting to listen, explore, and invest!

  3. i'm sorry jamie but santiago should def be top 3, has mountains[sajoma,janico] nice city 2nd in the country and maybe 1st actually as economycally speaking acting as el cibao superhub and more clean and organised barrios or neiborhdhoods due cause a slow but surely prosperous development,with great universities,great public transportation,sports talking having the aguilas cibaenas and cfc and been so close to the beautifull dominican north coast[la ensenada,punta rusia, cabarete rio san juan,etc]I have a of cousin of mine that lives in juan dolio and we always telling him how lucky he is and how jealous of him we are and all that he says " I live here,I'm not in vacation"

  4. Jamie, great video. you killed it as always.
    My wife and I will be in Punta Cana next week for a few days. Do you have a list of recommended restaurants?
    The ones you have showcased on grub with Gruber

  5. I’m can’t disagree with you with most of your choice. The only place I differ is Piantini! I could never live there. If you want city life, better than NYC, then BA is the place to go.

  6. I am currently living in Punta Cana, and I'm so over it here. Same ole beaches, overpriced resorts with crappy food, and the cocktails made by people with no clocktail knowledge, lol.

    I am planning on moving between Sosua and Cabarete in 2 weeks. I'm so excited!

  7. Sorry jamie but like you said punta cana, las terrenas somen of those places u mention they are for touris. If u want to live like in the usa u got santo domingo and santiago, witch is like new york and new jersey. I live in santiago gurabo and i feel like im in jersey my opinion is you are leaving like a gringo life style 😂😂😂. Keep up the good work i like your channel.

  8. Hey Jaime! Thanks for this awesome content!

    I am a born and raised New Yorker and I’ve been living in DR for almost 8 years. 2 1/2 years in Santiago and 5 years and some change in Santo Domingo.

    I believe the hardest part about living here is the commute and community for sure! I really want to meet more people like me but idk where to start. Help! lol

  9. As a Dominican born, my top 5 using the same categories as Jamie:
    5. Rio San Juan (Beautiful ocean views, very tight nit community)
    4. Puerto Plata ( Again the malecon of Puerto plata is amazing, nice community and good education)
    3. La Vega (Good amenities, a nice sense of community and education)
    2. Jarabacoa
    1. Punta Cana

  10. Loved it!! Hope there is a second version of this – I hear interesting stuff about Río San Juan and Cabrera. But, I know there are other hidden gems a bit more affordable, without all the amnesties and infrastructure, but with the potential, like Michez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, etc. would love to see it!

  11. Jarabacoa have one of best restaurants in the island.
    Terrenas realstate is going to skyrocket soon.
    Los Cacicazgos is very nice too.
    Bani is very hot and The ice thing is for Azúans.
    The best thing of Piantini is you are in the middle of the island and you can spend the weekend wherever you want, cause is a short drive 🎉😊

  12. Hi Jamie,

    I hope you and your family are doing well. Another great and informative video! I agree with your rankings, especially when it comes to living with family. For retirement, I’d place Punta Cana and Santo Domingo lower simply because of the chaos caused by tourists and city life. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that.

  13. Great content as always, I am struggling to choose between Piantini and Punta Cana. In the end I probably will pick Piantini in the end. I from New York and love the foodie scene in Piantini. I will go as a retiree so I don't care about traffic, I can travel when I want. Traffic is bad in New York. I hear what you say about landlock- cant stand it myself. I just love the location of Santo Domingo not in one corner of the Island like Punta Cana.

  14. I Agree with this list. Recently bought a place in Ciudad las canas.
    I'm from Santiago and I think we are going a little crazy, just went to see a lot in Las Quintas de Puntezula they Quoted me 260k. FOR A SMALL LOT!!! Yes, it is a nice place but I got a apt in punta cana for less than that. Just saying.
    Love santiago though.

  15. Fantastic information, we all love your enthusiasm for this beautiful country… I really think you should be on the board of tourism and building the brand of The DR… I find it fascinating that a country with such beauty and affordable housing still exists in the western hemisphere… Thank you for your continued insight and encouragement… Blessings to you and your family…Keep up the great work…

  16. My top 5 places to live in the DR .as a Dominican born.
    5 Cabrera (quiet and beautiful ocean 🌊 views)
    4 San Francisco ( Modern with lots of fancy houses and many amenities)
    3 Santiago (Cibao airport and modern
    2 Santo Domingo (well it’s the capital and more up to date.
    1 Punta cana .beautiful beaches and top tourism destination.

  17. My breakdown for Santiago, as a santiaguera:

    Amenities: 4.5
    You can find everything you need, good healthcare, plus restaurants and nightlife. Santo Domingo still takes the first place on that last one, but you can have it all without ever leaving Santiago.

    Value – 4.5
    Real estate appreciates very quickly in Santiago. The downside is there’s no proximity to the beach and you still have to drive for rivers and other tourist attractions.

    Community- 4
    If you are an expat with no Dominican relatives, it will be more difficult to find community in Santiago; but also because it’s not a touristic area, you can make more authentic relationships with the locals.

    Schools – 5
    Some of the most prestigious schools and universities in the country are in Santiago. Also, great art, music, and language schools.

    Edit:

    Beauty – 3

    Other santiagueros will k1ll me for this 😂 But, although you can drive with mountains in the background and find spots with amazing views, there are much more beautiful places in our country and I have to acknowledge that, in comparison, Santiago is left behind. Now, as a city, it is beautiful and clean.

  18. Again, you are right ON Jamie. Been to all those places and more and could'nt have describe it better. Everyone watching this has to evaluate their personal needs and preferences and decide the right fit. You are a BAD ASS GRINGO with Dominican blood. lol

  19. Cacicazgos and that whole area around it, south of 27 de Febrero west of Churchill Ave and east of luperon, has it all including dominican republic 's central park ( mirador sur) and very manageable traffic, to me the best overall area, shops, schools, malls, social life, supermarkets sports bars galore, healthy life all the way, just spend a day in that park and you'll see, life at its fullest and in the city.

  20. If I’m in the capital, I’d rather be in mirador sur. Value would be at a 1 because of the expense but it would hit every other mark. I’m still looking forward to retiring north of Punta Cana heading towards Miches. I would still like to be close enough to be able to drive into town easily and far enough to have my own land and quiet place.

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