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Beach & holiday rentals
Puerto Plata
The north coast: Sosúa, Cabarete and beaches at gentler prices than the east
Reference numbers
Gross yield6.5 % – 9 % (example data)
Annual appreciation4.5 % (example data)
Price per m²US$1,200 – US$2,600 (example data)
A coastline of beaches, mountains and towns with character, from Puerto Plata's Victorian old town to Cabarete's kitesurfing. Holiday and long-stay rentals at lower entry prices than Punta Cana.
A coastline with more variety than the east
Puerto Plata was the country's first big sun-and-beach destination, long before Punta Cana. Today it offers something different: rather than one resort cluster, it's a string of towns with their own personality along the north coast, with the mountains as a backdrop. If you're buying to rent out, that means several kinds of guests and lower entry prices.
The areas at a glance
- Puerto Plata city: a historic centre with Victorian houses, a seafront promenade and a cable car up Mount Isabel de Torres. Great for living year-round with city services.
- Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada: resort complexes with golf and condos, close to the city and the airport.
- Cofresí: hillside villas with sea views, widely used as holiday rentals.
- Sosúa: a calm beach, a long-established international community and plenty of apartments. Popular with retirees and winter visitors.
- Cabarete: the DR's kitesurfing and surfing capital, with a young vibe, restaurants on the sand and lots of digital nomads.
Who rents here
Besides the one- or two-week tourist, the north coast has a particularly valuable guest: the mid-term stay. Canadian and European retirees wintering here, athletes spending a month in Cabarete and remote workers who stay for several weeks. These guests mean less turnover, lower cleaning costs and fewer empty months.
Then there's cruise tourism: the Amber Cove and Taíno Bay terminals bring in thousands of visitors who support the local economy and the destination's profile, even though they won't be sleeping in your property.
Ballpark numbers
Prices typically range from USD 1,200 to 2,600 per m² (example data), well below Punta Cana's prime areas. Some owners estimate gross yields of 6.5–9% a year (example data) and occupancy of 55–70% (example data), depending on location and management.
As always, look at the net figure. Subtract the HOA fee (the condo maintenance fee), which can run around USD 1–2.50 per m² a month (example data), the manager's commission, platform fees, electricity and insurance. An easy way to compare is to plug your own assumptions into our tools.
Good to know
- There's a lot of resale stock, some of it with a few years on it. Get a technical inspection: roofs, damp, wiring and the pool.
- HOA fees can go up if the building needs major repairs; ask for the owners' meeting minutes and the management's financial statements.
- Water and power vary by area; check for a water tank, backup generator or solar panels.
- Paperwork: make sure the title has an official survey and no liens. We explain how in verifying a property title.
Getting there
Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP) is about 18 km (example data) from the city, between Puerto Plata and Sosúa. Cabarete is roughly another 25 minutes (example data). From Santiago it's a little over an hour by road (example data).
Our Puerto Plata agent directory lists vetted professionals along the whole north coast.
What we like / What to keep in mind
What we like
- Lower entry prices than Punta Cana
- A variety of settings: historic city, Sosúa, Cabarete
- Mid-term guests who reduce turnover
- An international airport and nearby cruise terminals
What to keep in mind
- Fewer direct flights than Punta Cana
- Lots of resale property that needs maintenance
- Winter rains on the north coast that dent the season
- Uneven water and power services depending on the area
Area map
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When to go
The best times to visit are February to April and June to August; summer brings the steady wind that draws kitesurfers to Cabarete. The north coast gets most of its rain from November to January. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
10-year averages (source: Open-Meteo, ERA5 data).
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Rain (mm)
°C High / Low
Hurricane season: June 1 – November 30
Hurricane season: June 1 – November 30
Shaded months are Atlantic hurricane season. It doesn't mean a hurricane every year, but hurricane and flood insurance is worth having.
Read the coastal insurance guide →Insurance in a coastal area
The north coast is also exposed to hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as winter swells and heavy rain. If the property is beachfront or on a hillside, wind, flood and landslide cover deserves a careful look.
If you're buying into a condo, check what the building's master policy covers and what you need to insure yourself. We explain it in our coastal insurance guide.
Living in Puerto Plata
✈ Nearby airports
- POPAeropuerto Internacional Gregorio Luperón (Puerto Plata)
~18 km approx.
Best-selling property types in Puerto Plata
Initial reference while our catalog in this area grows. (example data)
Verified properties in Puerto Plata