SANTO DOMINGO. – In a context where housing prices have risen significantly, the rental market has experienced increasing pressure with direct effects on the accessibility and quality of life of Dominican households.
The most recent data from Global Property Guide (GPG) shows that in the first quarter of 2025 the average gross rental yield
This performance, highly competitive in regional terms, indicates strong demand for residential rentals in a market where available assets are scarce.
However, this dynamism in profitability does not translate into relief for tenants.
According to the Foundation for the Development of the Real Estate Market (FDM), in neighborhoods with higher demand such as Alma Rosa, Mirador Norte or Gurabo, rents have increased between 12% and 25% in the same period.
Furthermore, for many lower middle-class households, rent represents between 35 % and 48% of their monthly income, far exceeding the 30% housing vulnerability threshold that identifies families at risk.
The increase in rents is not an isolated phenomenon: the 2025-1 Building Supply Registry of the National Statistics Office shows a drastic drop in affordable housing (≤ RD$3 million), with a decrease of 83.8% compared to 2024, which critically reduces the accessible residential stock.
The combination of rising sale prices and a shortage of affordable housing is shifting pressure to the rental market, where rent costs are consuming increasing proportions of household income. This is a warning sign for public policy and urban planning.
