Cost of Living in Comparison - The Economic Life of a Dominican

followmikecee (61)in #life • 6 years ago (edited)

Hola mis Steemians

You will hardly believe it, but the minimum wage of a Dominican worker or employee does not even cover his cost of living here. The daily expenses do not only exceed the so-called "social household basket", they also do not cover the costs for education, health, rent or other necessities of life.
I'm surprised that for this reason someone goes to work at all if the expenses exceed the wages.

Banco Central has been reporting economic growth of 4 or 5% for the Dominican Republic for years, but still only big industrialists and especially the government benefit from this "economic growth phenomenon". With an absolute minimum wage, the "common" people get less than they need to live. But even those who receive a "higher" salary hardly make ends meet. To illustrate this to you, I will show you the average day of a Dominican worker in chronological order:

The day starts between 5 am and 7 am with the way to the Guaguastation (bus) or the Taxi Publico line. This means up to 10 minutes by foot - many can't afford a motoconcho (motorcycle taxi) (30-50 RD$=60 Cent to 1 Euro).

Whether in one of the overcrowded guagua's (minibus for off. 12 persons with up to 25 persons but totally overloaded) or in a 25-30 years old small car "Taxi Publico" (driver and 2 persons in front, 4 in the back seat - often a crying baby in addition...), the Domikaner drives constricted and very insecure to work. For this he pays at least 25 RD$ (50 Cent) for a short distance, medium distances already cost 50 RD$. In addition there are 5-10 RD$ for a small cafesito, which he treats himself to at the street.

For breakfast there are then two "pan de aqua - small water rolls) of 5 RD$ each and if at all a little cheese (for 20 - 25 RD$), in addition a Malta India (25-30 RD$). A typical breakfast with fried cheese (optionally fried egg, salami) and Mangu, for 70-100 RD$ nobody can afford any more.

Lunch is served with the typical Dominican national dish "La Bandera". That means rice with red beans as sauce, meat (mostly Polo, thus chicken) and a little green salad. This costs about 100 - 120 RD$. And if you want beef or pork, or other side dishes, you pay a surcharge again. But the water usually costs nothing, it is poured loosely from the carafe in the comedores. Those who want water from the small bottle (5 dl) pay another 10 RD$.

For dinner it often buys 2 platanos (8-12 RD$ each), 2 eggs (5 RD$ each) and a little oil (10 RD$ each).

The return trip also costs at least 25 RD$ again. And so the Dominican spends alone for the transport to work and an absolute minimum food between 270-300 RD$ a day! With a 6 day week this is then almost 7,000 RD$ a month.

For a poor dwelling (hut with zinc roof) the Dominican pays about RD$ 3,500 rent, RD$ 400 the absolute minimum contract for electricity (without meter) and about RD$ 200 the water connection. TV cable fee and telephone are not included. Many therefore have a self-wurped old building antenna on the roof, so that it gets then in max. 3-5 local transmitters with bad quality - but free of charge. (Europe 1950 lets greet...) If you still add some telephone cards, then the costs arrived problem-free with 12.000 RD$. But what about articles such as:

personal hygiene and cleaning (toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper, soap and washing powder...)
the rent of a washing machine (if you don't have one - but what money do you want to be able to afford one?).
the gas he needs to prepare his platanos or cook rice.
No further food was bought.
no pesos spent on any clothes or even pleasure!
Medication
a little Sunday pleasure etc.

In other words:

12,000 RD$ just isn't enough to live on.

The wages, however, are mostly far below this amount!

So how can the Dominicans live - if you get wages of only RD$6,000 or even much less (Zona Franca or private housekeepers)?

Many employers offer transport via company buses (hotels, Zona Franca, industrial companies), some also offer food free of charge. Nevertheless, the wage is too little for living and too much for dying. The solution is:

Family

Here on the Dominican Republic you live with many people under one roof, up to three generations in the same house are absolutely no rarity but rather reality and normality. So 10-15 persons pay the rent, the electricity and the water only once. One puts together

A sense of family in the Dominican Republic is not just a sentimental matter, but an important, compellingly necessary aspect. The "family life community" is security for everyone and everyone in the family has his task to do.