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North America · Roseau

Cost of living in Dominica

Dominica is 50% cheaper than the US, ranking #85 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.

World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.

Cost of living · US = 100
49.6
Ranks #85 of 203 · 50% cheaper than the US
GDP / capita (PPP)
$21,301
GNI / capita (PPP)
$21,410
Inflation · YoY
2.6%
Population
66.2K
Capital
Roseau
Density
89 /km²
Urban
74%
Area
750 km²

What drives the cost here

Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.

In Dominica, food & groceries is the priciest category relative to the world (160), while housing & utilities is the most affordable (59).

Food & groceries 160
Transport 107
Communication 94
Health 75
Restaurants & hotels 75
Housing & utilities 59

Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source

Dominica on the map

What your money is worth here

A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $49,500 in Dominica.

Quality of life

58/100 · #147 of 198

Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).

Quality-of-life score
58 / 100
Our transparent equal-weight composite
Life expectancy
71 yrs
World Bank · 2024 · source
Safety · homicide /100k
27.1
UNODC · 2023 · source
Infant mortality /1k
33
World Bank · 2024 · source
Internet users
82%
ITU · 2024 · source
Air quality · PM2.5
21 µg/m³
WHO · 2020 · source

About Dominica

Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Britain in 1763, and Dominica became a British colony in 1805. Slavery ended in 1833, and in 1835, the first three men of African descent were elected to the legislative assembly of Dominica. In 1871, Dominica became first part of the British Leeward Islands and then the British Windward Islands until 1958.

Read the full background

In 1967, Dominica became an associated state of the UK, formally taking responsibility for its internal affairs, and the country gained its independence in 1978. In 1980, Dominica's fortunes improved when Mary Eugenia CHARLES -- the first female prime minister in the Caribbean -- replaced a corrupt and tyrannical administration, and she served for the next 15 years. In 2017, Hurricane Maria passed over the island, causing extensive damage to structures, roads, communications, and the power supply, and largely destroying critical agricultural areas.

Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.

Frequently asked

Is Dominica expensive to live in?

Dominica is 50% cheaper than the US, ranking #85 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is food & groceries; housing & utilities costs the least.

How much money do you need to live in Dominica?

A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $49,500 in Dominica, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.

Is Dominica cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Its overall price level is 49.6, against 100 for the United States.

What is the quality of life in Dominica?

Dominica scores 58 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#147 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 71 years.

Every number, sourced.

We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.

Price level index (US = 100)
Derived: nominal ÷ PPP GDP per capita, indexed to the US
49.6
GDP per capita (PPP)
World Bank · 2024 · source
$21,301
GNI per capita (PPP)
World Bank · 2024 · source
$21,410
Inflation (annual %)
World Bank · 2024 · source
2.6%
Population
World Bank · 2024 · source
66.2K
Population density
World Bank · 2023 · source
89 /km²
Urban population
World Bank · 2024 · source
74%
Surface area
World Bank · 2023 · source
750 km²

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