Just Landed in Dominican Republic? Your First 7 Days

Mobile coverage is strong in cities and tourist zones and patchy in the rural interior. Claro has the widest and fastest network with solid 4G and expanding 5G; Altice (formerly Orange) is a common alternative with good urban coverage; Viva is the cheaper budget option with thinner rural reach. Prepaid (prepago) is instant and needs only your passport; postpaid contracts usually require residency and proof of address.

Typical cost: Prepaid SIM around RD$100-350; monthly data bundles roughly RD$500-1,200 for 10-30GB, with home fibre from about RD$1,500/month

The Dominican Republic is heavily cash-based; cards work in supermarkets, malls, chains and tourist businesses but many colmados, taxis, guaguas and small vendors are cash only. The peso is the everyday currency, while US dollars circulate in real estate, deposits and higher-value transactions. Card fraud and skimming exist, so a low-limit card and cash for the street is a sensible split.

Opening an account: Foreigners generally need a cedula (residency ID) to open a full account, though some branches offer limited savings accounts or open one once residency is filed. Banco Popular, Banreservas, BHD Leon and Scotiabank are the usual foreigner-friendly options. Bring your passport, proof of address, a reference and, where required, your cedula; expect the process to take time and several visits.

Cash: Carry small notes: colmados, guaguas, motoconchos and street vendors rarely have change for a RD$2,000 note. Break large bills at supermarkets, and keep everyday spending cash separate from larger amounts you carry.

Tipping: A 10% service charge (la ley) plus 18% ITBIS tax is added to most restaurant bills; leaving an extra 5-10% for good service is customary. Tip hotel staff, supermarket packers, petrol attendants and hairdressers a small amount in pesos.

There is no local address-registration requirement for arrivals. Tourists enter with a stay recorded via the E-Ticket and passport stamp and receive an initial permitted period (commonly up to 30 days, extendable). Those settling long-term do not register an address; instead they pursue temporary or permanent residency and a cedula through the Direccion General de Migracion, a slow, document-heavy process most people handle with a lawyer. There is no equivalent to a European town-hall registration.

Where: Direccion General de Migracion (residency and cedula); your embassy or consulate for optional citizen registration

Cities rely on carros publicos (shared route taxis), guaguas (minibuses) and motoconchos (motorbike taxis), plus Santo Domingo's two-line Metro and the OMSA buses and teleferico cable car. Uber and inDrive work well in Santo Domingo and Santiago and are the safest option for newcomers; ride-hailing is thinner on the coasts, where hotel taxis and negotiated fares dominate. Owning a car brings freedom but also aggressive traffic, informal rules and expensive fuel.

From the airport: From Las Americas (SDQ) into Santo Domingo is roughly 30-45 minutes; use the authorised airport taxi (about US$40) or a pre-booked transfer, as there is no direct public transport link. From Punta Cana (PUJ), most resorts arrange transfers and airport taxis are fixed-fare by zone, typically US$25-45 to nearby Bavaro. From Cibao (STI) into Santiago is around 20 minutes.

Most newcomers rent through inmobiliarias (agencies), Facebook Marketplace and local expat groups, and word of mouth rather than one dominant portal; Corotos and SuperCasas are the closest to national listing sites. Furnished flats are common in Santo Domingo and tourist areas, and buildings often include security, a gym and a pool. Long leases are typically annual, and landlords frequently quote rent in US dollars for higher-end or coastal properties.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom in central Santo Domingo (Piantini, Naco, Gazcue) runs roughly RD$25,000-50,000/month; furnished apartments in Punta Cana or Las Terrenas often US$600-1,200/month

Deposit norm: Usually one to two months' deposit plus one month upfront, and an agency fee (often one month) may apply. Confirm in writing which bills (water, gas, maintenance/mantenimiento) are included, and insist on a signed contract even for informal rentals.

Healthcare is split between under-resourced public hospitals and generally good private clinics; expats and most residents with means rely on private care. Major private hospitals in Santo Domingo include Hospiten, CEDIMAT, Centro Medico UCE and Clinica Abreu, with Hospiten branches in Punta Cana and Puerto Plata serving the tourist coasts. Standards in the top private facilities are high, but costs are paid upfront without insurance.

How to access it: For non-emergencies, walk into or book a private clinic and pay directly or via insurance; specialists are often accessible without a referral. For emergencies dial 911, though private ambulances such as Movimed or a private hospital's own line are frequently faster and more reliable in the cities. Keep your insurance card and a means of payment on you.

Insurance: Private health insurance (an ARS) such as ARS Humano, Universal, ARS Palic, Mapfre Salud or the public SeNaSa is strongly advised; international expat policies are common for those without residency. Keep funds accessible, as private clinics routinely request upfront payment or a guarantee before treating you, even in an emergency.

• Greet with a warm 'buenos dias/buenas tardes' before getting to business; skipping the greeting reads as rude.
• Dress neatly for offices, banks and government errands; appearance signals respect and gets you taken more seriously.
• Expect a relaxed sense of time ('ahora' rarely means right now) and build a buffer into every appointment.
• Learn basic Spanish quickly; English is limited outside tourist zones and effort is genuinely appreciated.
• Accept offered coffee or food when visiting; hospitality matters and declining outright can seem cold.
• Use titles like 'don', 'dona', 'senor' and 'senora' with older people and in formal settings as a sign of respect.
• Keep disagreements calm and indirect; open confrontation and losing your temper in public cause a real loss of face.

• Never discuss Haiti, immigration or race casually; it is a sensitive topic and easily gives offence.
• Avoid flashing phones, jewellery or cash in the street, especially in Santo Domingo's older and poorer barrios.
• Traffic is chaotic and motoconchos weave aggressively; cross carefully and insist on a helmet if you ride.
• Do not assume punctuality or firm plans; social and even business commitments are treated flexibly.
• Be discreet with politics and criticism of the country; as a newcomer it lands badly and rarely helps you.