Puerto Plata vs Santiago
Puerto Plata and Santiago, figure by figure. Each value links to the page it was taken from.
Metric
Puerto Plata
Santiago
Population
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): +609,655 persons (+376.1%)
Cost of livingDifferent sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
Numbeo (5 contributors, item-price basket; "some data estimated")
Limited data: low-confidence source
Santiago
Numbeo (16 contributors, item-price basket; "some data estimated")
Rent, 1-bedroom (city centre)
Puerto Plata
26,667 DOP per month
Limited data: low-confidence source
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): +13,840 DOP per month (+51.9%)
Rent, 3-bedroom (city centre)
Puerto Plata
51,667 DOP per month
Limited data: low-confidence source
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): +38,084 DOP per month (+73.7%)
Land price per m²Different levels: one figure is for the city, the other for the province
Puerto Plata · province
88 USD per m²
Condo price per m²Different sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
118,000 DOP per m²
TheLatinvestor Condo Prices Update in Puerto PlataAs of Sep 2026 (updated 21 Sep 2026)Low confidence
Limited data: low-confidence source
Santiago
57,500 DOP per m²
Limited data: low-confidence source
Airbnb nightly rate (ADR)
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): −28 USD per night (−31.1%)
Airbnb occupancy
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): +1 % (+2.27%)
Climate (monthly temperature and rain)Different sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
Weatherspark, monthly temp + rain (station: Aeropuerto Intl La Unión / Gregorio Luperón MDPP 8 mi)
Santiago
Weatherspark, monthly temp + rain (station: Cibao Intl MDST 7 mi, 88%; La Unión MDPP 12%)
Nearest international airport and drive time
Puerto Plata
23 minutes by car
POP (Gregorio Luperón Intl)
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): −8 minutes by car (−34.8%)
Hospitals and clinicsDifferent sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
- Clínica Bournigal
- Hospital Ricardo Limardo
GOV.UK FCDO "List of medical facilities and practitioners in Dominican Republic" (Clínica Bournigal, Hospital Ricardo Limardo)
GOV.UK FCDO List of medical facilities and practitioners in Dominican RepublicAs of 27 Jan 2026High confidence
Santiago
- Hospital José María Cabral y Báez
- Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago/HOMS
GOV.UK FCDO "List of medical facilities and practitioners in Dominican Republic" (Hospital José María Cabral y Báez, Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago/HOMS)
GOV.UK FCDO List of medical facilities and practitioners in Dominican RepublicAs of 27 Jan 2026High confidence
Intentional homicides, Jan–Jun 2026Different levels: one figure is for the city, the other for the province
Puerto Plata · province
9 homicides, Jan–Jun 2026
CADSECI/MIP Boletín Estadístico de Seguridad Ciudadana enero-junio 2026As of Jan–Jun 2026 (published 21 Sep 2026)High confidence
Santiago · city
20 homicides, Jan–Jun 2026
CADSECI/MIP Boletín Estadístico de Seguridad Ciudadana enero-junio 2026As of Jan–Jun 2026 (published 21 Sep 2026)High confidence
Food sceneDifferent sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
143 restaurants listed
TripAdvisor "Restaurants in Puerto Plata" (143 results; Le Papillon, Le Petit Francois, Los Tres Cocos, Charros CaribeMex, Passatore)
Santiago
godominicanrepublic.com (MITUR) "Santiago Dining" (lechoneras Milito, Chito, Embrujo; Los Jardines Metropolitanos gourmet area; La Comai, Punto Criollo, El Tablón Latino)
Music scene and festivalsDifferent sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
El Nacional – Festival del Merengue de Puerto Plata (18–20 Jul 2025; to be held annually in the second week of July)
Santiago
Wikipedia "Merengue típico" (originated in the Cibao valley around Santiago, Navarrete cited as exact origin; "perico ripiao" said to be a Santiago bordello where it was played)
Culture, heritage and festivalsDifferent sources or units: shown side by side, not compared
Puerto Plata
Wikipedia "Puerto Plata" (Amber Museum, first in DR; Fortaleza San Felipe main colonial monument; carnival in February–March on the Malecón)
Santiago
Wikipedia "Santiago de los Caballeros" (Centro León museum inaugurated 3 Oct 2003 with 40 collections; Museo Folklórico Yoryi Morel exhibits Santiago Carnival culture and lechón garments)
Foreign-origin population (proxy for expat community)
Difference (Santiago − Puerto Plata): +35,693 persons (+87.7%)
Country-wide figures
These come from national sources with no town-level breakdown, so they are the same for every town.
- Internet speed (fixed broadband)
- Viva: 25.5 Mbps ↓ / 17.3 Mbps ↑
- Claro: 87.8 Mbps ↓ / 46.4 Mbps ↑
- AlticeDo: 83.5 Mbps ↓ / 23.1 Mbps ↑
nPerf fixed-line barometer, national averages by ISP (no city breakdown)
nPerf Barometer of fixed Internet connections in Dominican RepublicAs of Apr 2025–Mar 2026 (published Apr 2026)Medium confidence