Summary
In 2026, a good furnished 1-bedroom in Cabarete rents for about $850 a month, and most 1-bedrooms on 6- to 12-month leases ask $600 to $1,000 (Evalua, August 2026).
A furnished studio rents for about $600 and a 2-bedroom for about $1,350, with most 2-bedrooms between $1,000 and $1,600.
Per square meter, a standard furnished apartment rents for about $13 to $16 a month, and premium beachfront units for $18 to $25.
No one publishes a Cabarete rent index. Our read is that normal rents move roughly with inflation (5.12% in September 2026), with premium furnished units doing a bit better.
Kite Beach, Ocean Dream and the Cabarete beach strip are the most expensive areas: good furnished units often ask $1,500 to $2,500 a month.
Families tend to pick Pro-Cab, Perla Marina and Encuentro, where 2- to 3-bedroom homes usually rent for $1,200 to $2,300.
Demand is seasonal: Airbnb occupancy in Cabarete went from about 29% in September-October 2025 to 56% in February 2026 (AirROI).
The average 1-bedroom on Airbnb grossed about RD$387,000 (about $6,290) over the last 12 months, less than a year of long-term rent at $850 a month ($10,200).
On a 2-bedroom at the $299,000 asking median, a $1,350 long lease nets about 2.2% a year before income tax, against about 1.4% for an average Airbnb.
Law 85-25 governs long leases: the deposit is capped at 2 months, and if the contract says nothing, rent can't rise more than 10% a year.
IPI property tax only starts above RD$10,695,494 of combined appraised value: a $299,000 condo appraised at full price would pay about RD$76,900 (about $1,250) a year.
Since Law 30-26, companies that pay rent to an individual withhold 15%. Non-residents should budget for the 27% non-resident rate on their Dominican rental profit.
Bottom line: if you buy to rent in Cabarete, use $700 to $1,000 a month for a furnished 1-bedroom and $1,100 to $1,600 for a 2-bedroom as your target, and only count on beach-strip prices if the unit is really on the beach.
Studio, 1-bed, 2-bed: what Cabarete rents look like and where they are heading
What's the average monthly rent for a studio in Cabarete?
A normal furnished studio in Cabarete rents for about $600 (about RD$36,900) a month.
Most studios ask $450 (about RD$27,700) to $850 (about RD$52,300) a month. True studios are rare in Cabarete, so these figures overlap the lower half of the 1-bedroom range of $600 to $1,000 published by Evalua in August 2026.
The cheapest studios are older or inland units. Studios near Cabarete Beach, Kite Beach, Ocean Dream or the better parts of Pro-Cab cost more, because tenants pay for walkability, furniture, internet and beach access.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom?
A good furnished 1-bedroom in Cabarete rents for about $850 (about RD$52,300) a month.
Evalua puts most Cabarete 1-bedrooms on 6- to 12-month leases at $600 to $1,000 a month (August 2026). Nearby Sosúa is a bit cheaper, at $500 to $850.
Older inland pockets and less central Pro-Cab units are cheaper. Cabarete Center, Ocean Dream, Kite Beach and beachfront units ask the most, often above $1,000.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom?
A good furnished 2-bedroom in Cabarete rents for about $1,350 (about RD$83,000) a month.
Evalua puts most Cabarete 2-bedrooms on 6- to 12-month leases at $1,000 (about RD$61,500) to $1,600 (about RD$98,400) a month (August 2026).
Older inland apartments and quieter Pro-Cab units are usually cheaper. Kite Beach, Ocean Dream, the Cabarete beachfront, sea-view condos in Encuentro and villas in Perla Marina are usually the most expensive.
What's the average rent per square meter?
A standard furnished apartment in Cabarete rents for about $13 to $16 per m² a month, or about RD$800 to RD$985.
Premium beachfront or Kite Beach units often reach $18 to $25 per m², or about RD$1,110 to RD$1,540.
That is high for the Dominican Republic. Many tenants are foreign and seasonal, and they pay more for a furnished unit near the beach.
Ocean view, beach walkability, a pool, good furniture, reliable internet, AC and backup power are what push a unit above the town average.
How much have rents changed year-over-year?
No one publishes a Cabarete rent index, so there is no measured year-on-year change. Older estimates of 5% to 8% a year had no source we could check, so we don't use them.
Our read from listings: ordinary long-term rents are moving roughly with inflation, which was 5.12% in September 2026 (Central Bank). Premium furnished units near the beach are doing a bit better, because foreign demand is steady.
Inland rentals for local workers move more slowly, because local incomes don't rise as fast as expat demand.
What's the outlook for rent growth?
We don't put a number on next year's rent growth: there is no index to forecast from. If tourism holds, expect rents to keep moving roughly with inflation, with beach units doing better.
The legal ceiling matters: under Law 85-25, if your lease says nothing about increases, the landlord can't raise the rent by more than 10% a year.
Two things could hold rents back. Airbnb supply in Cabarete grew 17% in a year (AirROI), and owners who can't fill their unit in the low season often switch to monthly or long-term rentals. Older apartments priced like new ones also sit empty.
One thing could help: CEIZTUR, the tourism infrastructure agency, has about RD$293 million (about $4.8 million) planned for Cabarete street works (El Nuevo Norte, September 2026). It is still at the tender stage.
Starting a Rental in the Dominican Republic
Which neighborhoods rent best in Cabarete?
Which neighborhoods have the highest rents?
The three highest-rent areas in Cabarete are Kite Beach, Ocean Dream and the Cabarete beach strip. Good furnished units there often ask $1,500 (about RD$92,200) to $2,500 (about RD$154,000) a month.
Tenants pay for beach access, sea views, kite access, pools, security and being able to walk everywhere.
The typical renters are expat couples, remote workers, kitesurfers, seasonal retirees and foreign families staying for several months.
Where do young professionals prefer to rent in Cabarete right now?
Young professionals usually pick Cabarete Center, Ocean Dream and Pro-Cab, because daily life there works without a car.
They usually pay $800 (about RD$49,200) to $1,500 (about RD$92,200) a month, depending on size and quality.
What they look for: walkability, cafés, gyms, Wi-Fi, a furnished unit, AC, backup power and quick access to the beach and kite schools.
Where do families prefer to rent in Cabarete right now?
Families usually pick Pro-Cab, Perla Marina and Encuentro, which are quieter and more residential.
For a 2- to 3-bedroom apartment or house there, families usually pay $1,200 (about RD$73,800) to $2,300 (about RD$141,000) a month.
They get more space, parking, security, gardens, pools, less nightlife noise and easy access to Sosúa, Cabarete Center and Puerto Plata services.
For schools, most families look at the International School of Sosúa and the smaller bilingual schools around Sosúa and Cabarete.
Which areas near transit or universities rent faster?
Cabarete has no university rental market. The areas that rent fastest are those near the main road, the beach and the guagua (minibus) routes: Cabarete Center, Pro-Cab and Kite Beach.
When the price is right and the unit is clean and furnished, we see good rentals there find a tenant within a few weeks, usually under a month.
Being walkable is worth roughly $100 (about RD$6,150) to $300 (about RD$18,400) a month compared with a similar unit that needs a car.
Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats in Cabarete right now?
Expats mostly rent in Cabarete Center, Ocean Dream and Kite Beach, with Pro-Cab and Encuentro close behind.
They usually pay $800 (about RD$49,200) to $2,000 (about RD$123,000) a month, depending on location, view and building quality.
They like furnished homes, good Wi-Fi, beach access, restaurants, the kite and surf community and English-speaking services.
The most visible groups are Canadians, Americans, French, Germans, Italians and Dutch, plus Latin American remote workers and Dominicans coming back from abroad.
70+pagesWho rents, and what do tenants want in Cabarete right now?
What tenant profiles dominate rentals?
The three main tenant groups in Cabarete are remote workers and expats, kite and surf visitors, and seasonal retirees or foreign families. Local workers and Dominican professionals make up much of the cheaper inland market.
No one measures their shares. In the better furnished listings, remote workers and expats come first, then kiters and surfers, then retirees and families.
Remote workers usually want studios or 1-bedrooms. Kiters and surfers want furnished 1- or 2-bedrooms near the beach. Families want 2- or 3-bedroom units in Pro-Cab, Perla Marina or Encuentro.
Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished?
Most tenants in the better part of the market want furnished units. Unfurnished homes mostly rent to locals and long-stay families.
A furnished apartment usually asks roughly $150 (about RD$9,220) to $400 (about RD$24,600) more a month than a similar unfurnished one (our estimate from listings).
Foreign tenants, remote workers, kiters, surfers and seasonal retirees are the ones who want furniture.
Which amenities increase rent the most?
The five amenities that raise rent the most in Cabarete are beach walkability, ocean view, a pool, reliable internet, and AC with backup power.
Our rough estimates from listings: beach walkability adds about RD$9,000 to RD$24,000 a month, an ocean view RD$12,000 to RD$35,000, a pool RD$6,000 to RD$18,000, reliable internet RD$3,000 to RD$9,000, and AC with backup power RD$6,000 to RD$18,000.
Backup power matters more than people expect: outages still happen on the north coast, and a tenant who works online will move out of a unit with no inverter.
What renovations get the best ROI for rentals?
The five renovations that pay back best are strong AC, an inverter or battery backup, better internet, a modern bathroom and a kitchen refresh with durable finishes.
Rough costs: RD$35,000 to RD$90,000 for AC, RD$90,000 to RD$250,000 for backup power, RD$10,000 to RD$40,000 for internet, RD$120,000 to RD$300,000 for a bathroom and RD$150,000 to RD$400,000 for a simple kitchen. Done well, each one can add roughly RD$3,000 to RD$18,000 a month in rent.
Bad bets: luxury finishes that rust in the salt air, oversized decor, cheap beach furniture, and anything that looks good in photos but doesn't fix heat, humidity, power or internet.
70+pagesHow strong is rental demand in Cabarete in 2026?
What's the vacancy rate for rentals?
There is no official vacancy figure for Cabarete. For a well-priced furnished long-term unit, we estimate about 1 to 1.5 months empty a year between tenants, or roughly 8% to 12%.
Units in walkable areas like Cabarete Center, Ocean Dream and Kite Beach do better. Overpriced, older or badly located units can sit empty 2 to 3 months a year.
Competition is rising: Airbnb listings grew 17% in a year (AirROI), and some of those units turn to monthly rentals in the low season.
How many days do rentals stay listed?
No one measures days on market in Cabarete. From what we see, a good furnished rental at the right price usually finds a tenant in 2 to 5 weeks.
Clean, well-priced 1-bedrooms near Cabarete Center or Kite Beach go fastest. Premium beachfront units take longer because fewer tenants can pay $2,000 or more, and overpriced or tired units can sit for 2 to 3 months.
Timing matters more than anything: listing in October or November, before the winter season, is much easier than listing in May.
Which months have peak tenant demand?
Demand peaks from December to March. On Airbnb, Cabarete occupancy was 37.2% in December 2025, 48.2% in January, 56% in February and 48.2% in March 2026 (AirROI).
That comes from winter visitors, the kite and surf season, and remote workers and retirees escaping the northern winter.
The weakest months are September and October (about 29%) and May (31%). The average nightly rate barely moves through the year (about RD$9,200 to RD$9,900): the season shows up in occupancy, not in price.
Is a long lease a better bet than Airbnb in Cabarete?
For an average unit, yes. The average 1-bedroom entire home on Airbnb in Cabarete grossed about RD$387,000 (about $6,290) between October 2025 and September 2026, at 37% occupancy (AirROI, 283 listings). That average includes part-time listings.
Even run full time at the average rate (RD$4,755, about $77 a night) and occupancy, a 1-bedroom grosses about $10,400 a year, roughly the same as 12 months of long-term rent at $850 ($10,200). And Airbnb then costs much more: the 15.5% host-only fee (3% if you are still on split fees), 20% to 25% for a manager, cleaning and about 5% of bookings for utilities.
For a 2-bedroom at the $299,000 asking median (Casanix, October 2026): a long lease at $1,350 a month is 5.4% gross. With 1 month empty, 10% management, $200 a month of condo fees and services, 1% of the price for upkeep and insurance, and about $1,250 of IPI, it nets about 2.2% a year before income tax. An average Airbnb 2-bedroom at the same price nets about 1.4% (AirROI averages, with management, host fee, utilities and condo fees).
As a non-resident, budget for Dominican income tax on that profit (the general rate for non-residents is 27%). That takes the long-lease example to about 1.6%.
The rules on short stays are still open: MITUR's RENATUR registry draft was withdrawn on 20 July 2026 and sent to talks with the sector, with no new date. Before you buy for Airbnb, read the condo bylaws (reglamento): some Cabarete buildings ban short stays.
70+pagesWhat does Law 85-25 change for a Cabarete lease?
Law 85-25, in force since August 2025, replaced the old rental law (Law 4314) and Decree 4807. Every long-term lease signed in Cabarete today falls under it.
The deposit is capped at 2 months of rent, and depositing it at Banco Agrícola is now optional. A lease without a written contract is presumed to last 1 year, and the landlord must give 90 days' notice before the end of the term.
If the contract says nothing about increases, rent can't rise by more than 10% a year. Stays of 90 days or less for tourism are outside this law, which matters in Cabarete, where many tenants stay 1 to 3 months.
What to do: write the term, the increase clause, the currency (most Cabarete rents are in dollars) and who pays electricity into the lease. For a 3- to 6-month winter stay, say clearly whether it is a tourist stay or a residential lease.
What will my monthly costs be in Cabarete in 2026?
What property taxes should landlords expect?
Many small condo owners in Cabarete pay little or no IPI property tax. IPI is 1% a year on the combined DGII-appraised value of your Dominican property above RD$10,695,494 (about $174,000) for individuals in 2026.
Example: a 2-bedroom at the $299,000 asking median, if DGII appraised it at the full price, would pay about RD$76,900 (about $1,250) a year. DGII appraisals are often below market price, so the real bill is often lower.
A villa appraised at RD$25 million (about $407,000) would pay about RD$143,000 (about $2,330) a year. What counts is the appraised value of everything you own in the country, not the neighborhood.
Owners aged 65 or more on their only home, and retirees with pensionado or rentista residency, can get exemptions or reductions.
What utilities do landlords often pay in Cabarete right now?
In Cabarete, landlords often pay internet, condo (HOA) fees, water and pool or garden care, while tenants usually pay electricity.
Typical monthly landlord costs: RD$2,000 to RD$4,500 for internet, RD$6,000 to RD$25,000 for condo fees, RD$500 to RD$2,000 for water and RD$4,000 to RD$20,000 for pool or garden care. In total that is RD$12,500 to RD$51,500 a month (about $205 to $835), depending on the property.
Electricity is usually left to the tenant because AC use changes the bill a lot. Outages still happen, so a generator or inverter is part of the landlord's cost.
How is rental income taxed?
Rent from a Cabarete property is Dominican-source income. Residential rent is exempt from ITBIS (VAT), but income tax still applies.
Since Law 30-26 (June 2026), a company that pays rent to an individual withholds 15% (it was 10%). Resident individuals pay the progressive income tax (0% to 25%). Non-residents are taxed at the general non-resident rate of 27%; owners who rent to individuals usually file through a local accountant.
Tourist rentals are different: ITBIS of 18% may apply to tourist lodging, and how it applies to an individual's Airbnb is not settled. Check with an accountant.
The usual mistakes: thinking dollar rent paid abroad isn't taxed in the country, confusing the ITBIS exemption with an income-tax exemption, and forgetting the withholding when a company rents your unit.
Related blog posts
- What rental yield can you get from a villa in Cabarete?
- What can you buy in Cabarete with $100k, $300k or $500k?
- How much does land cost in Cabarete?
- Moving to the Dominican Republic? Here's everything you need to know
Our methodology
This article estimates what long-term rents look like in Cabarete in 2026: studios, 1- and 2-bedrooms, rent per m², the best-renting areas, tenant demand, a landlord's main costs and taxes, and how a long lease compares with Airbnb.
Rent ranges for 1- and 2-bedrooms come from Evalua's 6- to 12-month lease ranges (August 2026), checked against current listings on One Click Cabarete, Cabarete Properties, Properstar, Airbnb monthly stays and Rent By Owner. Airbnb figures come from AirROI only (October 2025 to September 2026). The asking price used for yields is the Casanix 2-bedroom median (October 2026). Inflation and exchange rates come from the Central Bank (BCRD).
Lease rules come from Law 85-25. Tax rules come from DGII and Law 30-26. The RENATUR status comes from MITUR's July 2026 withdrawal, and the street-works budget from El Nuevo Norte (September 2026).
We checked these figures in October 2026. Conversions use about 61.5 Dominican pesos per US dollar.
All rents are asking rents, not signed leases. Where we had no direct figure (studio rents, neighborhood ranges, rent per m², vacancy, days on market, amenity premiums, renovation costs), we estimated it from listings and say so. Your own costs will depend on the building, the furniture, backup power, condo fees and how you price against the listings next door.
Key sources used for this analysis include Evalua rent ranges, One Click Cabarete rentals, Cabarete Properties rentals, Properstar Cabarete rentals, Airbnb Cabarete monthly rentals, Rent By Owner Cabarete monthly stays, AirROI Cabarete, Casanix Cabarete apartments, Central Bank September 2026 inflation (El Dinero), BCRD exchange-rate reference, ONE IPC portal, DGII IPI property tax, DGII withholding tables, DGII residential rent and ITBIS, DGII rent withholding, Law 30-26, Law 85-25 on leases, El Nuevo Norte on CEIZTUR street works and MITUR.
