Find out what are the prices for food in the Dominican Republic. How much food and alcohol in stores and food in restaurants cost in 2021. What national dishes to try? What a tourist needs to know and how to save money.
Exchange rate: 10 Dominican Pesos (DOP) ≈ 14 RUB.
What to try in the Dominican Republic
Dominican cuisine has been influenced by the culinary traditions of the Indians, Spaniards, French and Africans. As a result of the fusion of different cultures, a very interesting combination of tastes and aromas was born.
Dominicans prepare dishes from rice, beans, pork, chicken, potatoes, Caribbean sweet potatoes, yucca, vegetables and fruits. They love meat, condiments, herbs, and garlic. Banana Mama alcoholic cocktail is considered a national invention.
But there are almost no fish and seafood dishes in the daily menu of the inhabitants of the Dominican Republic. Why? They are much more expensive than meat and chicken, so few are available.
We advise you to try:
- Asopao - thick meat soup.
- Sancocho - a rich soup made from several types of meat and vegetables.
- Pescado con coco - fish cooked with coconut sauce.
- Pastel en ojas - meat with vegetables, baked in banana leaves.
- Mofongo - layered casserole with fried banana and bacon.
- Kasabe - cassava cakes.
- Mangu - green banana puree with onion and bacon.
- Dulces con Coco - a sweet dessert made from coconut flakes with molasses.
Food prices in the Dominican Republic in 2021
The cheapest establishments are local cafeterias... You can eat in them for 100 DOP per person. Breakfast or lunch at an inexpensive family-style restaurant comendores costs 400-1300 DOP for one. Popular family-run establishments have an unassuming look, but they cook very well there.
For dinner in a higher class restaurant, you need to pay from 1800 DOP / person, and for dinner with alcohol - from 4300 DOP. An alcoholic cocktail costs 80 DOP, beer - 150 DOP.
Fast food - pizza or sandwiches - costs 200-250 DOP. Coffee from a street vendor costs 100 DOP. We recommend drinking only bottled water.
Prices in the Dominican Republic in 2021 for seafood and national dishes:
- rice with chicken and beans - 150 DOP
- fruit cocktails - 250 DOP
- seafood soup mariskos - 200 DOP
- shrimp soup - 200 DOP
- papas potatoes - 130 DOP
- fried bananas plane tree - 130 DOP
- grilled fish - 300-500 DOP
- shrimp - from 500 DOP
- lobster - 500-600 DOP
- lobsters - from 750 DOP.
It is customary to tip in cafes and restaurants - 5-10% of the bill value. Read the menu carefully - often they are already included in the price or will be included in the bill.
Alcohol prices in the Dominican Republic
The restaurants and bars serve 80 DOP alcoholic cocktails and 120 DOP beer.
Alcohol prices in Dominican Republic stores in 2021:
- Dominican beer, 0.5 l - 70-100 DOP
- imported beer, 0.33 l - 150 DOP
- rum - from 500 to 2000 DOP
- whiskey - from 700 DOP
- gin - from 780 DOP
- tincture "Mamahuana", 0.5 l - 1250 DOP
- wine - 400 DOP.
Prices for groceries in Dominican Republic stores
Locals use the cheap Colmado and Profeta shops. Tourists enjoy shopping at the Mercado and SuperMercado chain stores.
Prices for groceries in Dominican Republic stores in 2021:
- panito, or bread - 3.3 DOP
- milk, 1 l - 70 DOP
- yogurt - 95 DOP
- cheese, 1 kg - 350 DOP
- sausage, 1 kg - 500 DOP
- ham, 1 kg - 540 DOP
- bananas, 1 kg - 30 DOP
- orange juice - 58 DOP
- Coca-Cola, 2 L - 74 DOP
- water, 5 l - 85 DOP.
Dominican supermarket prices
What you need to know
Most Dominican hotels accept all-inclusive tourists. In hotel restaurants, food is prepared according to European or adapted recipes. If you want to be sure of the quality of food, read the reviews of tourists about the selected hotel.
To taste the national cuisine, we recommend visiting the local restaurants. Dominicans usually have breakfast and lunch with colleagues and friends, and dine with their family. During lunchtime from 12:00 to 14:00 the restaurants can be crowded.
The cheapest food is offered at cafeterias. Local restaurants are modest establishments that do not have a traditional menu. Food options are presented at the stands. The names are signed next to the pictures, and the price is indicated. There is no need to be afraid of unsanitary conditions - Dominicans are very clean in cooking. Together in cafeterias you can have a hearty meal for 400-600 DOP.
In restaurants for tourists, it is customary to leave a tip in the amount of 5-10% of the cost of the bill and additionally give a tip to the waiters. In establishments for Dominicans, the tax is added to the check amount - 18%. Information about this is indicated at the bottom of the menu. If you want to know exactly how much the dish will cost, ask in advance if the declared price includes tax.
As in other countries of Latin America, in the Dominican Republic there is a tradition of daytime relaxation - an afternoon siesta. From 13:00 to 15:00, and sometimes until 16:00, establishments are closed. Only large shops, supermarkets, small stalls work without a siesta. colmado and restaurants.
In addition to the local currency, the peso, dollars are accepted almost everywhere. In stores, payment can be taken in dollars, and change can be given in pesos. It is better to pay in pesos outside the hotel. In dollars it turns out a little more expensive. It is even less profitable to buy in euros, because in the Dominican Republic the euro rate is equal to the dollar.
How to save on food in the Dominican Republic
Hotel guests are taken to large shopping centers free of charge. For example, in Bavaro there is a free shuttle bus from each hotel to the large San Juan shopping center, which has a supermarket with groceries inside.
In Dominican restaurants and supermarkets, prices are fixed. If you buy something in the market or in small shops, be sure to bargain. With skillful benevolent bargaining, you will definitely be given 10-30% of the original price.
Tourists are always rescued by fast food. Sandwiches and pizza from street vendors cost 200-250 DOP, and coffee costs 60-100 DOP. For 200-250 DOP in the Dominican Republic, they feed in inexpensive restaurants of Asian and Indian cuisines.
Tourists willingly take home local alcohol, cocoa and coffee. Don't count on duty-free! Prices there are overpriced by 2-3 times. All "delicious" souvenirs, including the famous Dominican rum, take in supermarkets. In Punta Cana stores, a 0.45 kg pack of Santo Domingo coffee costs 115 DOP. The hotel will sell it to you for 156-180 DOP, and in duty-free on departure - for 200-240 DOP.
Choose your coffee on a tour of the factory. There are low prices, and you can try any drink before buying.
The prices for fruits in supermarkets and in the markets of the Dominican Republic in 2021 are almost the same, but in the markets the assortment and quality are better. Cheap fruits are sold from special fruit machines that ply the streets of resort towns every day. Check with your guide or reception staff when such a car passes by your hotel.
