Puerto Plata vs San Francisco de Macorís
How to read the comparison chart
The grouped bars score each city 0–100 on cost, climate and safety — taller is better. Puerto Plata leads on any axis where its bar is higher, San Francisco de Macorís where its is. The cost bar uses a higher-is-cheaper scale, so San Francisco de Macorís's taller cost bar reflects its lower cost of living, not a higher price.
| Axis | Puerto Plata | San Francisco de Macorís |
|---|---|---|
| Livability | 62 | 62 |
| Cost (higher=cheaper) | 49 | 49 |
| Climate | 84 | 82 |
| Safety | 56 | 57 |
| Summer °C | 27.2 | 27.5 |
| Winter °C | 23.3 | 23.9 |
| Top disaster risk | storms (hurricane/cyclone) | storms (hurricane/cyclone) |
Puerto Plata vs San Francisco de Macorís: the short answer
San Francisco de Macorís comes out ahead on overall livability (62/100), only marginally above Puerto Plata (62/100). The two cities diverge most on climate. On affordability San Francisco de Macorís is the cheaper base — nearly identical prices on our cost index (Puerto Plata 49 vs San Francisco de Macorís 49, where a higher score means a lower cost of living, normalised from World Bank price levels). For climate, San Francisco de Macorís runs warmer in summer (about 27.5°C peak vs 27.2°C in Puerto Plata), while winter lows sit near 23.3°C in Puerto Plata and 23.9°C in San Francisco de Macorís. On natural-disaster exposure San Francisco de Macorís is the safer choice (safety 57/100); the dominant modelled hazard is storms (hurricane/cyclone) for Puerto Plata and storms (hurricane/cyclone) for San Francisco de Macorís.
Which city should you choose?
- On a tight budget → San Francisco de Macorís — lower everyday costs..
- You want warmth → San Francisco de Macorís — hotter summers.
- Safety is the priority → San Francisco de Macorís — lower disaster risk.
- Best all-rounder → San Francisco de Macorís — highest overall livability.
Data & methodology
Cost scores are normalised from World Bank price-level data. Climate figures (summer highs, winter lows) are drawn from 1991–2020 climate normals. Disaster-safety blends USGS earthquake history (magnitude 4.5+ within 300 km since 1980), tropical-cyclone basin position, flood/elevation exposure and Köppen climate zone. The livability score is the weighted composite of cost, climate and safety. All figures are planning indicators for 2026, not guarantees — verify specifics before relocating.
FAQ
Is Puerto Plata or San Francisco de Macorís better to live in?
San Francisco de Macorís scores higher overall — 62 vs 62 on our 0–100 livability index, which weights cost, climate and safety.
Which is cheaper, Puerto Plata or San Francisco de Macorís?
San Francisco de Macorís has the lower cost of living (cost index 49 vs 49; higher = cheaper, from World Bank price levels).
Which is warmer, Puerto Plata or San Francisco de Macorís?
San Francisco de Macorís — summer highs reach about 27.5°C versus 27.2°C in Puerto Plata.
Which is safer from natural disasters, Puerto Plata or San Francisco de Macorís?
San Francisco de Macorís (disaster-safety 57/100). Main hazard: storms (hurricane/cyclone) in Puerto Plata, storms (hurricane/cyclone) in San Francisco de Macorís.
What is the main natural-disaster risk in Puerto Plata?
storms (hurricane/cyclone) is the dominant modelled hazard for Puerto Plata on our risk index.
How is the Puerto Plata vs San Francisco de Macorís comparison calculated?
Cost comes from World Bank price levels, climate from 1991–2020 normals, and disaster risk from USGS earthquake data, cyclone-basin position and flood exposure; livability is their weighted composite.