Safest cities in Dominican Republic
9 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in Dominican RepublicAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in the Dominican Republic, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Political demonstrations
- Political demonstrations sometimes happen, although not usually near tourist areas. Take care not to get caught up in demonstrations or large gatherings and follow the instructions of the Dominican Republic authorities.
Crime
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsYou can take steps to reduce your personal risk by:
- Bank card crimeBank card cloning and identity theft are a risk in the Dominican Republic. Keep your payment card in view when paying or pay in cash.
- Sexual assaultIncidents of assault, rape and sexual aggression against foreigners have occurred, including at beach resorts. In some cases, hotel employees or fellow guests have been implicated.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDAlways carry copies of the photo page of your passport and entry stamp with you.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesThere are severe penalties for all drug offences. Possession of even small quantities of any drug can lead to a fine and a prison sentence. Pack your own luggage and do not carry anything through customs for anyone else.
- LGBT+ travellersAttitudes towards the LGBT+ community are mostly conservative throughout the Caribbean. Although same-sex sexual relations are legal in the Dominican Republic, same-sex marriages are not legally recognised. Showing affection in public may result in unwanted and negative attention.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Swimming safetyLifeguards may not be present at swimming pools or on beaches. Safety and rescue equipment may not be available.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you’re planning to drive in the Dominican Republic, see information on driving abroad.
- Road safetyThe Dominican Republic has a high death rate from road traffic accidents. Road accidents happen often, especially during holiday periods like Christmas and Easter.
- Motorbikes and scootersTake particular care if riding a motorbike or scooter. The Dominican Republic has a high death rate from road accidents involving motorbikes and scooters.
- Traffic accidentsIf you’re involved in an accident, call the police and wait at the scene. If you’re detained because of a road accident, ask the police to contact the British Embassy in Santo Domingo.
- Reporting an accidentIf you’re involved in a road accident, you must file a report with the Dominican Republic authorities.
- TaxisTaxis can be cheap but many are in poor condition. Use an authorised airport or hotel taxi service, or book from a registered provider. Ride-hailing apps are widely available.
- Public transportPublic buses and ‘carros publicos’ (shared cars that pick up passengers) are often uninsured, not registered and poorly maintained.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- HurricanesThe hurricane season in the Caribbean normally runs from June to November. Monitor local news and check the World Meteorological Association weather reports for the Dominican Republic and the US National Hurricane Center’s regional map.
- Earthquakes and tsunamisEarthquakes are a risk in the Dominican Republic. If an earthquake happens, follow the advice of the local authorities.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Dominican Republic, updated 2026-08-07 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 9.12 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 39.02024
- Human development
- HDI 0.7762023
- Income
- $26,980/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 64.6 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 76/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 54/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 37/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 4.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.68GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 13.5 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 45%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 2.4 doctors /1k0.8 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 0 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Cyclone
- 10.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Earthquake
- 9.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 5.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 2.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Dominican Republic (as of 2025).
How Dominican Republic compares
| Measure | Dominican Republic | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 9.1 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +6.7 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 39.0 | 35.2 | +3.8 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.776 | 0.763 | +0.013 — better for Dominican Republic |
| Road deaths | 64.6 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +49.2 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 54/100 | 52/100 | +2/100 — better for Dominican Republic |
| Corruption perceptions | 37/100 | 39/100 | −2/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 13.5 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | −6.2 µg/m³ — better for Dominican Republic |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.4/10 | 3.8/10 | +0.6/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Dominican Republic | North America median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 9.1 /100k | 17 /100k | −7.8 /100k — better for Dominican Republic |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 39.0 | 41.8 | −2.8 — better for Dominican Republic |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.776 | 0.789 | −0.013 — better for North America median |
| Road deaths | 64.6 /100k | 13.9 /100k | +50.7 /100k — better for North America median |
| Rule of law | 54/100 | 52/100 | +3/100 — better for Dominican Republic |
| Corruption perceptions | 37/100 | 40/100 | −3/100 — better for North America median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 13.5 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | −1.9 µg/m³ — better for Dominican Republic |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.4/10 | 4.0/10 | +0.4/10 — better for North America median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 9 cities, safest first
- Puerto Plata63.7 · #4086 worldwide
- San Francisco de Macorís62.3 · #4250 worldwide
- La Vega62.3 · #4251 worldwide
- Santiago de los Caballeros62.1 · #4266 worldwide
- Santo Domingo60.6 · #4375 worldwide
- La Romana60.4 · #4404 worldwide
- San Pedro de Macorís59.3 · #4492 worldwide
- Salvaleón de Higüey59.2 · #4505 worldwide
- Baní57.5 · #4665 worldwide