Quality of life

1. It's a good place to live and raise a family.
2. It's got great weather.
3. Well organized business community.
4. Geographically located near major trade markets in the center of the Americas.
5. Abundant non-skilled work force of earnest and fast-learning young people.
6. Abundant, qualified managerial staff available.
7. It has a large domestic market.
8. It has the largest tourism industry in the Caribbean which is a large export market within the country.
9. Excellent telecommunications service.
10. Diversity of investment opportunities.
11. Preferential trade agreements signed with Europe, the United States, the Caribbean and Central America.
12. Positive attitude towards foreigners and foreign investors.
13. Fastest growing economy in Latin America for the past five years.
14. Political stability.
15. Low crime rate.
16. DR is a true melting pot with little racial tensions.

Yes, you will be able to find American styled supermarkets in the DR. Also, you will also be able to find American foods as well as a large selection of international foods.

Security

Banking and Currency

The Dominican banking system is controlled the Central Bank, based in Santo Domingo and the currency used is the Dominican peso.  At the time of writing the exchange rate was around RD$33 to US$1 or RD$65 to GBP1.

The best exchange rates are paid in either US traveler’s checks or US dollars.  It is generally considered that the best exchange rates will be found at one of the Dominican banks rather than on the street or hotels, etc. 

ATM machines are plentiful at most banks throughout the Dominican Republic, although the amount you will be able to withdraw will vary from bank to bank.

Opening a Bank Account

There are some myths here; firstly you do not need to be a resident, you will however need all of the following:

• Your passport.
• Letter of recommendation from your own bank.
• Personal recommendation from a person known to the bank.

You may then open a bank account in dollars or pesos or both.

Transfer of funds into and out of your dollar account may be by wire transfer, check or cash.  You should be aware that the banking system here takes up to 30 days to clear checks, including cashiers checks or bank drafts.

Communications

Land Telephone Systems

There are a limited number of companies providing telephone communication.  Codetel, previously Verizon, has a monopoly on land lines and internet connections.  Generally their service is adequate, but slow.

Mobile or Cellular Telephones.

There is both a very good land telephone system as well as a number of mobile operators. 
All mobiles that would normally work in America will work here. Any modern UK mobile, or older ones with tri-band, will also work. If you already have a cell phone you can activate it here, depending if your phone is activated by one of the major providers of cellular service. These are available from a number of providers, with Codetel and Orange having the greatest share of the market .  Both these providers cover the major cities and towns, but once outside of these areas you will need to check who seems to have the better coverage locally as neither providers invest anything like enough in infrastructure. 
If you have a GSM phone, you can go to any number of Orange outlets and, for a small fee, they will activate your phone, and you can either purchase pre-paid phone cards or a phone plan. If you have a CDMA phone, you can go to many Verizon or Centennial outlets and purchase a plan.      
Recently Tricom has begun to offer a new telephone plan where those in the Dominican Republic can call New York, or anywhere in the U.S., and be charged at local dialing rates. This development is a clear indicator of the progress of telecommunications in the Dominican Republic.

T.V.

Cable:

Cable services in the DR are provided by a variety of companies. These companies offer both English and Spanish language television, plus a variety of shows in other languages. Also, the channels come from not only the Dominican Republic but also the United States and Europe.

Satellite:

If you can afford the service, there is also satellite television available from Direct TV, available through distribution by Caribe Dish System, for example. Once you purchase the satellite dish the vendor will provide you with details on installation and maintenance. 

Internet

This is available in either ‘dial up’ or ‘flash’ which is similar to broadband and is only from Codetel.  Flash is available in a number of speeds with the price increasing proportionally. 

Mail Service

Whist there is a mail service through most of the towns, business mailing addresses are used extensively and various express delivery services such as UPS and FEDEX operate widely.  Within the island, Caribe Tours and the Metro Bus service offer a delivery service.

Utilities  

Electricity

Most computers will work on a varying voltage from 100 – 220 volts and are generally protected from voltage spikes; however for most high cost electrical items such as computers, televisions, etc, it is a good idea to run them through a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) unit.  These cost around US$30 each and can maintain up to four items.

Power outages are extremely common in the Dominican Republic; therefore most homes will have an alternative source of power such as an inverter or generator.  Many developments or complexes have this already, usually by way of a generator which runs up after about 30 seconds.  Timing will vary depending on the type and system being employed.

An inverter is a simple device that uses power from a battery source and converts this to 110 volts.  This device switches in immediately there is a power outage without the owner being aware.  Some available within the DR are somewhat basic and use mechanical switching to create the 60 Hz.  These are easy to detect as your fans will ‘hum’, sometimes quite loudly.  Typical costs for a 3kw inverter will be about US$1,000 including 4 batteries and should give a typical house around 8 to 10 hours.

A better quality inverter will generate electricity via an electrical switch which will be also identical to the mains supply and will not create any humming.  These cost around US$2,000 plus batteries.  Another benefit is that you can set the minimum and maximum voltage allowed; in other words you can set the inverter to allow no less than 90 volts to 120 volts through the public system. 

The second option is a generator which can be either on auto or manual start, depending on your preference.  Auto start is likely to delay by about 15 to 30 seconds.  The big advantage of a generator is that it should be powerful enough to run your air conditioning.  Generally inverters are not.

Water

Tap water in the DR is normally safe to use for cooking, washing clothes and bathing but not for brushing your teeth or drinking.  The supply is generally continuous even if the pressure sometimes falls.  All houses have a standby tank system with a pressure pump, so water is not normally a problem.

Drinking water is available in 18 liter or 5 US gallon containers, and is cheap at around US$1 per container.  Dispensers with built in chillers are available at around RD$5,000 or US$150.  Most shops or garages sell these containers.

Garbage Collection

Gas

This is always supplied in bottles and may be come as part of your condo fees or, more likely, you will have to occasionally arrange to have your bottles refilled.  You can either take them yourself to one of many locations, or arrange for them to be collected.  In either case this is a painless and inexpensive experience.

Domestic Staff