San JosévsSanto Domingo
💰
Santo Domingo saves you $300/month
18% cheaper on rent, food & transport
🌡️
Tropical Monsoon vs Tropical Wet climate
Different weather patterns year-round
🛂
Costa Rica offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San José
Santo Domingo
Total Budget
$1,700/mo
$1,400/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$670/mo
$500/mo ✓
Coworking
$175/mo
$150/mo ✓
Meal Out
$6
$5 ✓
Coffee
$3
$2.5 ✓
Santo Domingo is $300/mo cheaper (21% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇨🇷 San José
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌍 Santo Domingo
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishlow
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San José
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp20°C
Rainy Days231/year
Best months: February, January, March, April
Santo Domingo
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp26°C
Rainy Days215/year
Best months: January, February, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
20°24°
Apr
21°25°
Jul
21°27°
Oct
19°27°
San JoséSanto Domingo
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇨🇷San José
🌍Santo Domingo
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,700
$1,400
Winner📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
3.2/5
Winner2.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
3.5/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
7/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
8/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
5/10
👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
2
San José wins
vs
2
Santo Domingo wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Santo Domingo
$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
San José
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
San José
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇨🇷San José
Pros
- +Gateway to Costa Rica's natural wonders
- +Digital nomad visa available since 2022
- +Excellent healthcare system
- +Year-round spring-like weather
Cons
- −Higher cost than other LATAM cities
- −Traffic congestion is severe
- −Downtown safety concerns at night
- −No beach or surf in city
🌍Santo Domingo
Pros
- +Oldest European city in Americas with UNESCO sites
- +Affordable cost of living for Caribbean
- +Vibrant nightlife with authentic bachata and merengue
- +Fast fiber internet in modern areas
Cons
- −Safety concerns - avoid certain areas at night
- −Chaotic traffic and poor road conditions
- −Low English proficiency outside tourist areas
- −Hot and humid year-round
