What I Wish I Knew Before Moving to the Dominican Republic

I moved to Cabarete from Italy five years ago.

I had been coming to the Dominican Republic for about twelve years before that, mostly because of my family. Cabarete was our winter and summer vacation destination. My dad kitesurfed, we started surfing, and eventually we kept coming back for the beach, the people and, honestly, the vibe.

I never really thought I would end up living here.
Then I did.

I originally came to Cabarete for work, to help with the digital marketing side of the agency I still work with today, Cabarete Properties. At the time, I wasn't necessarily thinking, “I'm moving to the Dominican Republic forever.”

I just came. And things worked out.

That doesn't always happen here… and that's probably the first thing I would tell anyone thinking about making the same move.

Come with a plan, even if you don't know exactly what will happen

One of the things I hear from people considering moving abroad is: “I just want to come and figure it out.”

I understand that. And sometimes it works. It worked for me. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend moving to another country with absolutely no plan.

Have an idea of what you'll do for work, where you'll live, how long you want to try it for and what you'll do if things don't work out.

The Dominican Republic can give you incredible opportunities, but things don't always happen exactly the way you planned them to.

And things can move at a different pace than you're used to. I learned pretty quickly that patience is not optional here.

I didn't realize how many people actually live here

Before I moved, I thought of Cabarete mainly as a vacation destination. I knew the beaches. I knew the kitesurfing. I knew the restaurants and the nightlife.

What I didn't really understand was how many people actually live here full-time.

There are expats from all over the world, Dominicans who moved here from different parts of the country, international families, business owners, remote workers and people who came for a few months and somehow ended up staying for years.

And that's one of the things I love about Cabarete. It doesn't feel like you're living inside a resort. You can be part of the local community while still having a very international environment around you.

You can live here without Spanish, but I wouldn't recommend it

Could you live in Cabarete without speaking Spanish? Simply yes. You could probably get by very easily, especially in the more tourist-oriented areas.

But if you're planning to actually live here, learn Spanish.

I use both Spanish and English regularly in my everyday life (even before moving to the DR), and being able to switch between the two has completely changed how I experience the place.

You understand more. You communicate with more people. You become more connected to what's happening around you. And you understand Dominican culture in a way you simply can't from the outside. You’ll thank me later!

Your days might look very different here

My life isn't some permanent vacation. I work (a lot). But the way my day is structured is different from what I imagined my life would look like when I was living in Italy.

I might wake up slowly, have a coffee and decide whether I want to start working immediately or exercise first.

Maybe it's a productive day on the computer. Maybe I go to the beach. Maybe I create content, work on real estate meetings and showings, make a video or call my family. I cook at home or go out. After work, I might play padel, swim, go to the gym, walk on the beach or simply stay home or hang out with the new neighbors.

And sometimes the best part of the day is doing absolutely nothing. For me, that's one of the biggest changes. There is more flexibility in how I spend my day.

It's warm all the time, and that changes more than you think

Coming from Italy, I obviously knew I was moving somewhere warm. But living somewhere warm all year is different from going on vacation somewhere warm. You don't have to plan your life around winter. You don't need a winter wardrobe. You can go for a walk in the evening and still feel the warmth of the day.

And one of my favorite times in Cabarete is actually sunset.

Especially in spring and summer, when there are fewer people around, the weather is warm and the colors are incredible. It's one of those things that still makes me stop and think: I actually live here.

Things don't always work the way you expect

This one took me a while. Coming from Italy, I was already used to some bureaucracy and things not always being perfectly organized.

But the Dominican Republic is a different level of learning to let go. Something might take longer than expected. Someone might tell you something will be done tomorrow and it isn't (for months).

You may have to remind someone several times. Plans can change. And if you expect everything to happen exactly when you planned it, you're going to be frustrated.

I've learned to be much more patient. And, I've also learned that sometimes it's not worth getting angry about things you can't control. You find another solution. You go somewhere else. You have a coffee. You calm down and you come back tomorrow.

Not everything is cheaper

This is another misconception I think people should know before moving here.

The Dominican Republic can be affordable, but living in a tourist area as a foreigner doesn't automatically mean everything is cheap.

Some things are inexpensive. Other things can actually surprise you. Imported products, certain groceries, cars, personal care, property maintenance and some activities can add up quickly. And your lifestyle makes a huge difference.

Someone living simply, cooking at home and walking everywhere will have a completely different monthly budget from someone eating out regularly, driving everywhere, playing padel several times a week and renting a modern beachfront apartment.

That's why I don't like giving people one magic number for “the cost of living in Cabarete.” There isn't one.

I wrote a separate guide about what it actually costs me and other people to live in Cabarete, including different lifestyles and the difference between renting and owning.

You will miss things from home

I love living here. But that doesn't mean I don't miss Italy. I miss my family. I miss certain foods. I miss being able to jump on a train and go somewhere different. I miss the convenience of having certain things easily available.

I miss some of the little things that you don't appreciate until they're no longer part of your everyday life. That's normal. Moving abroad doesn't mean you stop loving where you came from. It just means you create another place that feels like home.

You don't need to be a kitesurfer to love Cabarete

People often associate Cabarete with kitesurfing and water sports. And yes, they're a huge part of the town. But you don't have to be a kitesurfer or surfer to enjoy living here.

I actually wouldn't describe water sports as the biggest part of my personal lifestyle. I like the beach. I like being outside. I play padel, swim, work out, walk, go for dinner, meet friends and explore the Dominican Republic by car (I recommend taking roadtrips around the island once you move here).

There is much more to Cabarete than the beach you see in the vacation photos.

Making friends is easier than you think

When you first arrive, meeting people is actually quite easy. Cabarete is international, social and full of people doing things.

You might meet people through work, sports, the beach, restaurants, events or simply through someone you know.

The harder part is sometimes staying long enough to build deeper friendships, and learn who to trust. But once you stay, you start finding your groups. Or you create your own. And that's something I really appreciate about living here (shoutout to my cool friends from Cabarete, Santiago, Santo Domingo <3).

You have to learn to live with a little less convenience

This is probably one of the biggest cultural adjustments. I sometimes miss being able to find exactly what I want immediately. Or having more choices. Or knowing exactly how long something will take. Also, forget about Amazon Prime the same or the next day!!

But in exchange, I have a lifestyle that gives me things I didn't have before. I can finish work and go to the beach. I can walk to places. I can have dinner outside. I can spend an evening watching the sunset. And I don't have to wait for my two-week vacation to feel like I'm somewhere I want to be.

Dominican culture will teach you patience

Dominicans are incredibly welcoming and friendly. People smile. People joke. People are fun to be around. But the culture is also very different from what I grew up with. It took me time to get used to the slower pace and the way things sometimes get done. But living here has taught me something I probably needed to learn: be more patient.

Things don't always happen when you want them to. That doesn't mean you can't have a good day anyway. I've learned to appreciate what is happening now instead of constantly worrying about what should have happened already.

What about safety?

I feel very safe living in Cabarete. But feeling safe doesn't mean turning your brain off. I use common sense.

I don't walk around dark, empty areas alone at night, and I pay attention to my surroundings, just as I would anywhere else.

There are also different types of neighborhoods here, from lively areas in the center to quieter residential and gated communities.

If you're thinking about moving here, where you live makes a difference, which is why I always recommend spending time exploring the different areas before deciding where to rent or buy.

You might realize you don't want to go back

This is probably the biggest thing I didn't expect. I love Italy. It's still home. I want to visit my family. I want to eat the food. I want to spend time there.

But if someone gave me a one-way ticket to Italy tomorrow and told me I could never come back to the Dominican Republic... I wouldn't take it.

I want to visit Italy on vacations. But my home, and the best version of my life and myself, is here.

So, would I recommend moving to the Dominican Republic?

Yes. But I wouldn't tell everyone to move here. I think you need to be open-minded. You need to accept that things will sometimes be different from what you're used to.

You need to be able to adapt.

And you need to understand that living here is not the same as being on vacation here.

If you can do that, there is an incredible amount to discover. Because the biggest thing I couldn't understand until I actually lived here is this: there is so much more to do, see and experience than you think.

You just have to stay long enough to discover it.

Thinking about moving to Cabarete?

If you're thinking about moving to Cabarete, ask me as much as you can.

I'll show you around, help you understand the different areas and give you an honest idea of what it can actually be like to live here, not just what it looks like when you're on vacation. And when you're ready to look at property, that's what I do every day.

I help people find the property and the area that actually fit the life they want to build here.

You don't have to know exactly where you want to live before you contact me. That's part of the process. Sometimes the first step is simply coming to Cabarete, exploring, asking questions and figuring out what feels right for you.

Stay tuned for more insights about life in Cabarete, Dominican Republic.