Santo Domingo rewards thin wallets: the Zona Colonial's ruins, plazas and Parque Colón cost nothing, government museums on the Plaza de la Cultura run RD$100 or less, and a metro ride is RD$20. Three days here can run under RD$1,500 a day.
The Americas' first monastery (begun 1508), wrecked by earthquakes and Drake's 1586 raid, now roofless coral-block arches you can walk around free from the street. Sunday nights it hosts the free Bonyé merengue jam from 5pm.
Two free open-air living rooms: Parque Colón's 1887 Columbus statue and shade trees full of domino players, and Plaza España's wide terrace above the Ozama with free public wifi and a straight view to the Alcázar facade.
A hard-hitting museum on the Trujillo dictatorship and the Mirabal sisters, housed in a colonial building on Calle Arzobispo Nouel. Entry runs about RD$150 for foreigners — among the cheapest serious museums in the city.
The 1655 gate where independence was declared in 1844, fronting the Altar de la Patria mausoleum holding Duarte, Sánchez and Mella. Both are free, with a ceremonial guard change and locals jogging the walled park at dusk.
A 1942 two-floor market of amber, larimar, botánica herbs and cocoa. Haggling is expected — quotes drop 40-50% if you counter. Ground-floor stalls sell RD$60 fresh juices and RD$100 sancocho bowls to the vendors themselves.
Zona Colonial comedores serve la bandera — rice, habichuelas, stewed chicken, salad and tostones — for RD$200-280 between noon and 3pm. Look for handwritten plato del día boards and a room full of office workers.
A restored municipal market on Calle Padre Billini stocked with Dominican cacao bars, Cibao coffee, mamajuana bottles and mango-passionfruit batidas. Batidas run RD$100-150, cacao bars RD$150 — the cheapest edible souvenirs downtown.
The seafront fills after dark with carts selling chimichurris (the Dominican burger) for RD$150-200, yaniqueques for RD$50 and Presidente Jumbos from coolers for RD$150 — eaten on the sea wall with the sunset behind you.
Two square kilometres of orchid house, Japanese garden and endemic palm collection in Arroyo Hondo. Entry sits near RD$100 and includes the little open-sided trolley loop through the grounds — a full morning for pocket change.
The east-bank park is free to enter and shaded end to end. The Tres Ojos limestone caves inside cost about RD$100 for the three open-air freshwater lagoons plus the hand-pulled raft to the fourth.
The 210-metre concrete cross-shaped lighthouse-mausoleum claims Columbus's remains and charges around RD$100. Reach it on the RD$20 metro plus a short concho — the cheapest way to cross the Ozama and back.
The repainted obelisk honouring the Mirabal sisters marks the best free sunset spot in the capital: a wide coral wall over the Caribbean where families, domino tables and bachata speakers take over until late.