Buying property in Santo Domingo: the areas, the Metro and what to check (2026)

Updated October 19, 2026. 5 min read.

Santo Domingo is where the jobs are: Greater Santo Domingo, with more than 3.7 million people, produced 40.4% of GDP in 2025. The most sought-after areas are Piantini, Naco and Serrallés, downtown; Evaristo Morales, Bella Vista, Los Cacicazgos and Arroyo Hondo, more residential; and Santo Domingo Este, which is a separate municipality. Before buying pre-construction, check the MIVHED permit, that the tower meets the city's rules and the land title, and count on the transit that runs today, not the transit that's been announced.

Why people buy in the capital

The Distrito Nacional had 1,029,110 residents in the 2022 census, and Greater Santo Domingo, including the province, tops 3.7 million: about 35% of the country. That's where the jobs are. Greater Santo Domingo produced 40.4% of GDP in 2025, and almost half of the country's companies (49.6%) are in the Distrito Nacional and Santo Domingo province.

That's why long-term rentals rule in the capital, not vacation rentals. Hotels in Greater Santo Domingo ran at 52% occupancy in 2025, versus 79% in Bávaro–Punta Cana. And residential rent is exempt from ITBIS, the sales tax.

The areas

Piantini, Naco and Serrallés. The heart of the Distrito Nacional: condo towers, offices, clinics and shops.
Evaristo Morales and Bella Vista. A mix of towers and houses. Bella Vista sits next to Mirador Sur Park.
Los Cacicazgos. Mostly houses, next to Mirador Sur. In some areas the height limit is 9 floors plus one.
Arroyo Hondo. North of the Distrito Nacional, residential and quiet, with controlled access in several communities.
Santo Domingo Este. A separate municipality across the Ozama River, with its own city government and its own rules. It already had nearly a million residents in 2010 and is growing upward: its rules allow up to 25 floors in Alma Rosa and up to 50 on Avenida España. Metro Line 2 reaches it.

The right area depends on why you're buying. Digger AI Agent shows you the projects in the area you ask for and runs the numbers with yours.

Transit: what runs today and what's under construction

Running today:

Metro Line 1, since 2009.
Line 2, since 2013. It was extended to Santo Domingo Este in 2018 and, in February 2026, to the edge of Los Alcarrizos, adding 7.3 km and five new stations.
The cable car, since 2018, 5 km long.
The Los Alcarrizos cable car, since 2023, 4.2 km long.

Under construction:

Metro Line 1B, toward Punta de Villa Mella.
Cable car Line 3, in Santo Domingo Oeste, with its first phase scheduled for December 2026.

Announced: the Santo Domingo Este monorail. As of late July 2026, construction still hadn't started.

Since January 2026, the Metro and the cable cars are run by a new state company, the Empresa Metropolitana de Transporte (Decree 60-26). If transit matters to your decision, count on what runs today, not what's been announced.

What to check in Santo Domingo

On top of what applies to any pre-construction purchase (how to buy pre-construction safely):

The MIVHED construction permit. Ask for the number and check its status.
The right city permits. In the Distrito Nacional, the Ayuntamiento del Distrito Nacional; in Santo Domingo Este, its own city government. Allowed height and density change by area and by street. In July 2026, a court voided the city permits of a tower in Piantini because it exceeded the allowed height and density; the city itself had sued. Check that the project fits the rules and ask whether it faces any lawsuits.
The environmental permit (Law 64-00).
The land title at the Registro de Títulos: the certificate of legal status and the survey.
The condo. The recorded bylaws, with each unit's share of the fees (Law 5038), the yearly budget, and how many parking spaces you get and whether they're on your title.
The street. Whether it floods in heavy rain, as in November 2023, when 400 millimeters fell on Greater Santo Domingo, and what traffic is like when you'd be on the road.
Payment. Always by bank transfer. The developer will ask for your ID and the source of your funds (Law 155-17), you can't pay more than RD$1,500,000 in cash, and the deed must itemize the payments.

Santo Domingo or Punta Cana?

Use. In the capital people buy to live or for long-term rentals; in Punta Cana, mostly for vacation rentals (buying in Punta Cana).
Permits. In a tourist area like Punta Cana, the Ministry of Tourism's no-objection is added. In the capital, the key player is the city government and its zoning plan.
Rental taxes. Residential rent is exempt from ITBIS and tourist rentals pay 18%. Income tax is the same in both places (closing costs and taxes).
Airport. Las Américas in the capital; Punta Cana in the east.

Buying in Santo Domingo with Instadigs

Digger finds new construction in any area you name, checks its permit, who's building it and whether it's delayed, and recommends up to three projects that fit you. If you buy with Instadigs, we give you back 100% of the broker commission the developer pays, credited to your property after the down payment (how the commission works).

Frequently asked questions

What are the best areas to buy in Santo Domingo?

It depends on why you're buying. Piantini, Naco and Serrallés are the hub of towers, offices and services; Evaristo Morales and Bella Vista are more residential; Los Cacicazgos and Arroyo Hondo are quieter areas of houses; and Santo Domingo Este is a separate municipality that's growing upward.

Is the Distrito Nacional the same as Santo Domingo Este?

No. They're separate municipalities, each with its own city government and building rules. The Ozama River divides them.

How far does the Santo Domingo Metro go?

Line 1 runs from Centro de los Héroes to Villa Mella, and Line 2 from Santo Domingo Este to the edge of Los Alcarrizos since 2026. There are also two cable cars. Line 1B and a third cable car line are under construction; the Santo Domingo Este monorail has been announced, but as of July 2026 it hadn't started.

What permits should a pre-construction project in Santo Domingo have?

The MIVHED construction permit, the city permits (in the Distrito Nacional, from the ADN) and the environmental permit. Also check that the height and density fit the rules for that area.

Is it better to buy in Santo Domingo or in Punta Cana?

It depends on the use. In the capital, which produces 40% of GDP, long-term rentals rule and pay no ITBIS. In Punta Cana tourism rules, and vacation rentals pay 18% ITBIS.

Sources

This guide explains how buying works in general. Rates and requirements are set by law, by each bank and by each developer, and they can change: the date above is when it was last reviewed.

Buying property in Santo Domingo: the areas, the Metro and what to check (2026)

Updated October 19, 2026. 5 min read.

Why people buy in the capital

The areas

Piantini, Naco and Serrallés. The heart of the Distrito Nacional: condo towers, offices, clinics and shops.
Evaristo Morales and Bella Vista. A mix of towers and houses. Bella Vista sits next to Mirador Sur Park.
Los Cacicazgos. Mostly houses, next to Mirador Sur. In some areas the height limit is 9 floors plus one.
Arroyo Hondo. North of the Distrito Nacional, residential and quiet, with controlled access in several communities.
Santo Domingo Este. A separate municipality across the Ozama River, with its own city government and its own rules. It already had nearly a million residents in 2010 and is growing upward: its rules allow up to 25 floors in Alma Rosa and up to 50 on Avenida España. Metro Line 2 reaches it.

The right area depends on why you're buying. Digger AI Agent shows you the projects in the area you ask for and runs the numbers with yours.

Transit: what runs today and what's under construction

Running today:

Metro Line 1, since 2009.
Line 2, since 2013. It was extended to Santo Domingo Este in 2018 and, in February 2026, to the edge of Los Alcarrizos, adding 7.3 km and five new stations.
The cable car, since 2018, 5 km long.
The Los Alcarrizos cable car, since 2023, 4.2 km long.

Under construction:

Metro Line 1B, toward Punta de Villa Mella.
Cable car Line 3, in Santo Domingo Oeste, with its first phase scheduled for December 2026.

Announced: the Santo Domingo Este monorail. As of late July 2026, construction still hadn't started.

What to check in Santo Domingo

On top of what applies to any pre-construction purchase (how to buy pre-construction safely):

The MIVHED construction permit. Ask for the number and check its status.
The right city permits. In the Distrito Nacional, the Ayuntamiento del Distrito Nacional; in Santo Domingo Este, its own city government. Allowed height and density change by area and by street. In July 2026, a court voided the city permits of a tower in Piantini because it exceeded the allowed height and density; the city itself had sued. Check that the project fits the rules and ask whether it faces any lawsuits.
The environmental permit (Law 64-00).
The land title at the Registro de Títulos: the certificate of legal status and the survey.
The condo. The recorded bylaws, with each unit's share of the fees (Law 5038), the yearly budget, and how many parking spaces you get and whether they're on your title.
The street. Whether it floods in heavy rain, as in November 2023, when 400 millimeters fell on Greater Santo Domingo, and what traffic is like when you'd be on the road.
Payment. Always by bank transfer. The developer will ask for your ID and the source of your funds (Law 155-17), you can't pay more than RD$1,500,000 in cash, and the deed must itemize the payments.

Santo Domingo or Punta Cana?

Use. In the capital people buy to live or for long-term rentals; in Punta Cana, mostly for vacation rentals (buying in Punta Cana).
Permits. In a tourist area like Punta Cana, the Ministry of Tourism's no-objection is added. In the capital, the key player is the city government and its zoning plan.
Rental taxes. Residential rent is exempt from ITBIS and tourist rentals pay 18%. Income tax is the same in both places (closing costs and taxes).
Airport. Las Américas in the capital; Punta Cana in the east.

Buying in Santo Domingo with Instadigs

Frequently asked questions

What are the best areas to buy in Santo Domingo?

Is the Distrito Nacional the same as Santo Domingo Este?

No. They're separate municipalities, each with its own city government and building rules. The Ozama River divides them.

How far does the Santo Domingo Metro go?

What permits should a pre-construction project in Santo Domingo have?

The MIVHED construction permit, the city permits (in the Distrito Nacional, from the ADN) and the environmental permit. Also check that the height and density fit the rules for that area.

Is it better to buy in Santo Domingo or in Punta Cana?

It depends on the use. In the capital, which produces 40% of GDP, long-term rentals rule and pay no ITBIS. In Punta Cana tourism rules, and vacation rentals pay 18% ITBIS.

Sources

This guide explains how buying works in general. Rates and requirements are set by law, by each bank and by each developer, and they can change: the date above is when it was last reviewed.