Global Property Guide updates, published in May 2026, show that the Dominican residential market continues to register upward pressure on both sale prices and offered rents, particularly in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana/Bavaro.
SANTO DOMINGO. – The data comes from two updated reports by the international firm: “Dominican Republic 2-Bed Apartment Prices: City Trends and History”; and “Dominican Republic 3-Bed Rental Prices: City Trends and History”.
In the May update, GPG states that Punta Cana/Bavaro maintains higher sales prices than Santo Domingo in the two-bedroom apartment segment, with an average price of US$286,000, while Santo Domingo stands at US$244,000 for comparable units.
A difference that reflects the growing weight of the eastern tourist and real estate corridor within the Dominican residential market.
GPG also shows that Punta Cana/Bávaro has registered a sustained appreciation over the last few years, while Santo Domingo maintains more stable growth linked to permanent urban demand.
The behavior of Punta Cana/Bavaro within the historical series of GPG suggests that the tourism market continues to exert pressure on residential prices and this report does not attribute direct causality, but the data coincide with hotel expansion, growth of short-term rentals and increased real estate investment linked to tourism.
Figures from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic show that the country received more than US$11.318 billion in tourism revenue during 2025, the highest level recorded so far.
This inflow of foreign currency has coincided with a real estate expansion cycle particularly visible in the East, where Global Property Guide records higher residential prices than in the capital in certain segments.
Santo Domingo maintains the greatest residential depth, even though the Punta Cana/Bávaro axis has higher prices for two-bedroom apartments: the capital continues to be the country's largest and deepest residential market, concentrating high corporate demand, long-term rentals, absorption due to urban growth, and a more diversified residential supply.
Global Property Guide reflects this stability in the historical price evolution of Santo Domingo, where growth appears less volatile than in highly touristic markets.
Rentals of elevated 3-bedroom units
GPG's May update on three-bedroom unit rentals also shows a rental market still under strain, with average three-bedroom unit rents in Santo Domingo reaching approximately US$2,000, while Punta Cana/Bavaro is around US$1,850 per month.
The difference between the two cities reflects distinct demand structures. While Santo Domingo maintains a strong base of corporate and permanent residential rentals, Punta Cana/Bávaro relies more on tourism and short-term stays.
Global Property Guide's comparative series shows that the Dominican Republic continues to rank among the Latin American markets with the highest gross rental yields, which it attributes to the simultaneous behavior of high sale prices and still strong rents.
That combination is particularly visible in Santo Domingo, GPG indicates, where residential prices continue to rise, but rents still maintain enough strength to sustain high returns in international comparison.
Between urban demand and tourism expansion
The two updated reports by Global Property Guide reflect an increasingly visible characteristic of the Dominican market: the coexistence of two distinct real estate dynamics. On the one hand, Santo Domingo functions as a structural urban market, driven by population growth, employment, and corporate activity.
On the other hand, the Punta Cana/Bavaro axis operates as a hybrid market between tourism, second homes and rental-oriented investment.
Data from May 2026 shows that both poles continue to expand, albeit with different demand drivers.
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