Is Punta Cana expensive? Learn everything about prices in Punta Cana!

 Do you know how much a beer in Punta Cana costs? Do you have an idea about the price of a local meal? Or are you wondering about the prices of the supermarkets in the Dominican Republic? If you are planning a vacation to Punta Cana but don’t know how much to factor in for your travel budget, this is your article to read. As I am living in Punta Cana, I can give you all the detailed prices of the area in Bavaro and beyond, starting from a simple banana up to an expensive all-inclusive resort. And while Punta Cana is indeed more expensive than the rest of the Dominican Republic, most things are still a bargain. Do you have further questions? Let me know and I am adding it to this list of prices in Punta Cana.

Do you want to know more about your necessary travel budget for Punta Cana?
If you plan to stay at a resort, you should check on how to save money when booking an all-inclusive vacation.
If you prefer to explore Punta Cana individually, have a look at my guide about how to travel to Punta Cana on a budget.

Introduction

 Punta Cana is not the cheapest place to go on holiday in the Dominican Republic, as it is one of the more expensive places in the country. However, Punta Cana is still one of the most economic destinations where you can go on a Caribbean vacation, so it is well worth having a closer look at the prices in Punta Cana. Once you have read this list of prices, you can make your own guess if Punta Cana is expensive.

 Please note that I will list all prices in the currency they are usually quoted here in Punta Cana, which is the Dominican Peso (DOP) for all local products and services and the US-Dollar (USD) for most services related to tourism. As of now (October 2020), 1 USD is approximately 58 DOP. The prices shall indicate approximates and give you an idea of what to expect in Punta Cana, so please don’t fight with me for 5 Pesos. 😉

 Furthermore, I will update this list regularly, but as I am not buying every product every day, small discrepancies might apply.

 If you are interested in some insider tips and recommendations on how to save money while on an all-inclusive holiday in Punta Cana, check out this article. And if you are planning to stay in a guesthouse, AirBnB (check out the best Airbnbs in Punta Cana here) or hostel and want some money-saving tips, I have some specific recommendations here, incl. for backpackers.

Cost of airport transfers in Punta Cana

 There are different ways of getting from Punta Cana International Airport to your accommodation. All the costs below are one-way,

• Public Transport: 100 DOP (approx. 2 USD) (per person)
• Shared Airport Transfer: starting from 5 USD (per person)
• Private Airport Transfer: starting from 25 USD (per vehicle)
• Taxi from the airport: starting from 30 USD (per vehicle)
• SUV vehicle from the airport: starting from 40 USD (per vehicle)

Further information to read:
– Airport transfers from Punta Cana International Airport
– Airport transfers from Santo Domingo International Airport

 Offers and promotions for airport transfers to Punta Cana:
– Check prices here (for Punta Cana International Airport)*
– Check prices here (for Santo Domingo International Airport)*

Prices of hotels in Punta Cana and beyond

 Even the all-inclusive resorts are pre-dominant in Punta Cana and count for more than 90% of all hotel beds, there are all kinds of other accommodation in the area of Bavaro, Macao and beyond as well.

• Hostel in the Punta Cana area: starting from 10 USD for a bed
• Budget accommodation in Punta Cana: starting from 20 USD for a double room
• Nice guesthouse or B&B within walking distance to the beach: starting from 50 USD for a double room
• High-quality hotel on bed and breakfast basis at the beach: starting from 125 USD for a double room
• Low-budget all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana at the beach: starting from 120 USD for a double room in low season and 160 USD in high season
• Good 5-star all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana at the beach: starting from 200 USD for a double room in low season and 300 USD in high season
• High-end all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana at the beach: starting from 300 USD for a double room in low season and 500 USD in high season

Further information: 
– How to find the best all-inclusive resort?
– When is the best time to travel to Punta Cana?
– How to save money on an all-inclusive vacation?
– The best Airbnbs in Punta Cana (24 hand-selected and recommended accommodations)
– The best cheap all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana

Offers and promotions:
– Check best all-inclusive promotions*
– Check recommendable AirBnBs*
– Have a look at guesthouses and small hotels*
– List of cheapest stays in Punta Cana (hostels & more)*

Moving around in Punta Cana and beyond – how much does it cost?

 Getting around in Punta Cana and beyond is more expensive than in other areas in the Dominican Republic – but still pretty cheap compared to other countries. While taxis are the easiest way to get around in Punta Cana, their prices are quite steep, whereas public transport is pretty uncomfortable but super cheap. You can also consider renting a car in Punta Cana as this gives you additional flexibility and the chance to have some amazing day-trips from Punta Cana.

• Public transport one-way journey: 50 DOP (approx. 1 USD) (per person)
• Short rides (2-3 miles) with a motorcycle-taxi (motoconcho): 100 DOP (approx. 2 USD) (per person)
• Public bus from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo (approx. 3 hours): 450 DOP (approx. 8 USD) (per person)
• Uber in Punta Cana: 3-6 USD for short rides (up to 15 minutes approx.) (per vehicle)
• Taxi in Punta Cana: 25 USD minimum fee for most rides, easily more if its more than 15 minutes (per vehicle)
• Rental Car in Punta Cana: 30 USD + insurance per day or 50 USD incl. insurances (if booked in advance*) (per vehicle)
• Gas: approx. 200 DOP (3.50 USD) per gallon
• Tolls: No tolls in the Punta Cana area, 260 DOP (approx. 4.50 USD) when going to Santo Domingo

Further information: 
– Public transport in Punta Cana
– Shall I rent a car in Punta Cana?
– Amazing day-trip ideas from Punta Cana

Eating out at restaurants in Punta Cana – is it expensive?

 Even most people are staying in an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, there are still plenty of options to eat outside. First of all, because there are thousands of apartments, condominiums and AirBnBs and second, because the resort workers also need some place to go out and either fill their stomach with some cheap eats or splurge a bit in fancier restaurants. Luckily, you have all these options in Punta Cana, so that eating out not necessarily is expensive if you stick to the very local options. However, mostly you want to visit a restaurant where you have to factor in at least 10 USD for a meal.

• Lunch (dish of the day) in a local eatery (“Comedor”): 150 DOP (approx. 3 USD)
• Lunch in a beachfront restaurant/beach club on Punta Canas’ beaches: 700 DOP per dish (12 USD)
• Dinner at a local food truck: 350 DOP (approx. 6 USD)
• Dinner at a decent restaurant: 700 DOP per dish (12 USD)
• Snacks on the street (e.g. Empanadas, Tostones, etc.): 50 DOP (approx. 1 USD)

Drinks in Punta Cana – what are the prices?

 The Dominican Republic is famous for its rum, which is why you should put your focus on any rum-based drinks (in case you like alcohol). It is cheap, good quality and refreshes yourself, but be careful and don’t drink under the direct influence of the sun. Alternatively, try the local beer (which isn’t that special) or the tropical fruit juices (which, however, often have tons of sugar). If you want to drink like the locals do, head to a local colmado, a mom-and-pop store which turns into a bar in the afternoon or the evening.

• Small beer (0.33l) at a Colmado: 90 DOP (approx. 1.50 USD)
• Huge beer (“Jumbo”) at a Colmado: 175 DOP (approx. 3 USD)
• Small beer in a local bar: 150 DOP (approx. 2.50 USD)
• Small beer in a beach bar: 250 DOP (approx. 4.50 USD)
• Cuba Libre at a local bar: 150 DOP (approx. 2.50 USD)
• Cuba Libre at a beach bar: 300 DOP (approx. 5 USD)
• Crafted cocktails at a beach bar: 350 DOP and up (approx. 6 USD)

Excursions in Punta Cana – are they expensive?

 Excursions in Punta Cana vary widely in pricing. You can get decent tours for as low as 45 USD, even most excursions are more in the range between 60 and 90 USD. Longer tours, such as Los Haitises, Santo Domingo or whale watching, might easily cost 100 USD and more.

 Prices for Punta Cana excursions also depend on where you book them, I highly recommend to check Viator* for the biggest selection of tours and check back here at Punta Cana Travel Blog for authentic experiences and recommendations about this specific type of tour.

• Buggy Adventure Tour – starting from 40 USD and up
• Ziplining in Punta Cana – starting from 70 USD and up
• Party Boat Tour / Booze Cruise in Punta Cana – starting from 55 USD and up
• Double-Tank dive – starting from 100 USD and up
• Isla Saona excursion – starting from 75 USD and up
• Los Haitises Tour – starting from 140 USD and up
• Santo Domingo Tour – starting from 95 USD and up
• Whale watching excursion from Punta Cana – starting from 150 USD and up
• and so much more … 

Further information: 
– Excursion & Tour Reviews on Punta Cana Travel Blog

Offers and promotions:
– Check current promotions on Viator*
– Check current promotions on GetYourGuide*

Supermarket – how are the prices for groceries & Co.?

 Supermarket prices in the Dominican Republic are pretty expensive compared to the minimum wage of the local workers, which is just about 200 USD per month. Of course, groceries are still considerably cheaper than in the United States, but compared to some European countries where prices are pretty low, shopping in Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic is not as cheap as you might expect.

 On the side, if you stick to local products, your supermarket bill in Punta Cana won’t be too high and if you buy some of the fruits and vegetables from roadside vendors, it will be even cheaper.

• Local eggs (pack of 6 eggs): 50 DOP (approx. 1 USD)
• Local pasta (1 pound): 30 DOP (approx. 0.50 USD)
• Imported brand pasta (1 pound): 90 DOP (approx. 1.60 USD)
• Local rice (1 pound): 35 DOP (approx. 0.50 USD)
• Imported brand rice (1 pound): 100 DOP (approx. 1.80 USD)
• Local bananas (per piece): 5 DOP (approx. 0.10 USD)
• Local mangos (per piece): 25 DOP (approx. 0.40 USD)
• Imported apples (per pound): 60 DOP (approx. 1 USD)
• Imported pears (per pound): 80 DOP (approx. 1.30 USD)
• Local onions (per pound): 75 DOP (approx. 1.30 USD)
• Local carrots (per pound): 30 DOP (approx. 0.50 USD)
• Tomatoes (per pound): 30 DOP (approx. 0.50 USD)
• Bell pepper (per pound): 70 DOP (approx. 1.20 USD)
• Local cheese (per pound): 200 DOP (approx. 3 USD)
• Imported cheese (per pound): 300 DOP and up (approx. 4.50 USD)
• Local milk (1 liter): 60 DOP (approx. 1 USD)
• Imported milk (1 liter): 100 DOP (approx. 1.80 USD)
• Local beer (small bottle): 75 DOP (approx. 1.30 USD)
• Imported beer (small bottle): 100 DOP (approx. 1.80 USD)
• Local quality rum (700ml): 500 DOP (approx. 9 USD)
• Local high-quality rum (700ml): 1000 DOP (approx. 18 USD)

Are you looking for further information to determine your travel budget? Check out the following articles:
– How to save money when booking an all-inclusive vacation … (if you are planning to stay at a resort)
– How to travel Punta Cana on a budget … (if you are planning to stay at an Airbnb)

 Do you have any further questions? What other prices in Punta Cana you are interested in? Have you observed other prices? Let me know in the comments.