Cost of gasoline in the Dominican Republic, how to refuel, and what to be aware of

Please note that the Dominican Republic does not produce or refine oil, so comparing the cost of gasoline with US is not relevant. The Dominican Republic is a multicultural and diverse country, so milk is measured in liters here, while gasoline is measured in gallons.

An American gallon is equivalent to 3.785411784 liters. Gasoline prices at gas stations are listed in the local currency, the Dominican peso.

Recently, there have been an adequate number of gas stations in the tourist area of Punta Cana, although there used to be only two. Most of them have a minimarket where you can find everything you need, but unfortunately, they do not operate 24/7. While you may come across 24/7 gas stations, their number is small. Therefore, if you plan to leave early, make sure to refuel the night before, preferably before 10:00 PM.  And for a safe trip, make sure to check the traffic rules in the Dominican Republic. 

HOW TO REFUEL

Forget about self-service at gas stations; here, an attendant will take care of everything for you. They will even wash your windows and offer to check the fluids in the car (we recommend declining this service since our rental cars undergo regular maintenance). In fact, you may not even need to get out of the car. If you pay by card, each gas pump has a mobile payment terminal, and some even accept PayPass.

It is most advantageous to pay for fuel in cash in the local currency, the Dominican peso (at the time of writing this article, the exchange rate is 1 US dollar equals 53 Dominican pesos). However, if you only have dollars on hand, check the exchange rate before refueling to have an immediate estimate of your expenses. This is what an ideal refueling looks like, but we still recommend getting out of the car and observing the entire refueling process:

• The gas pump should be reset to zero before refueling.
• After refueling, the display should show the total amount and the number of gallons filled (otherwise, the attendant could enter the amount for the next customer, pretending it’s yours).
• The type of fuel should match the one recommended by the car rental company.
• Check all mathematical calculations, especially when it comes to currency exchange rates.
• The amount on the receipt should match the total amount of the refueling (this amount includes the 18% VAT applied nationwide).

In Spanish, gasoline is “Gasolina.” Gasolina is divided into two types:

• Regular Gasolina: 220 DOP (Dominican peso) per gallon, $1.09 per liter of gasoline.
• Premium Gasolina: 235 DOP (Dominican peso) per gallon, $1.16 per liter of gasoline.