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Dominican Republic economy at a glance: growth, prices, rates, the peso and the banks

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Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

The Dominican Republic is a US$127.9 billion economy (2025) of about 10.9 million people, led by services, construction, tourism and free zone exports. Growth slowed to 2.1 percent in 2025 and recovered to 4.6 percent in January to September 2026, with the Banco Central projecting about 4.5 percent for the year. Inflation was 5.12 percent in the year to September 2026, above the 4 percent plus or minus 1 target, and the policy rate rose to 5.50 percent on 30 September 2026. The peso floats freely and strengthened 5.4 percent in the first nine months of 2026.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date. Conversions are for orientation only. Official US dollar figures published by the Banco Central or the budget are shown as published.

Key facts

Nominal GDP 2025127861.4 USD millionBanco Central, PIB en dólares referencia 2018, as of 2025-12-31 · in force
Nominal GDP 20257897551.3 DOP millionBanco Central, PIB en dólares referencia 2018, as of 2025-12-31 · in force
GDP per person 202511753.84 USDBanco Central, PIB en dólares referencia 2018, as of 2025-12-31 · in force
Real GDP growth 20252.1 %Banco Central, PIB trimestral base 2018, as of 2025-12-31 · in force
Real GDP growth, second quarter 2026 on a year earlier5.0 %Informe de la economía dominicana enero a junio 2026, as of 2026-06-30 · in force
IMAE growth January to September 20264.6 %Banco Central, IMAE, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Official growth projection for 20264.5 %Banco Central projection, as of 2026-10-23 · pending
Consumer prices, 12 months to September 20265.12 %Informe IPC septiembre 2026, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Core inflation, 12 months to September 20264.61 %Informe IPC septiembre 2026, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Inflation target, centre4.0 %Programa Monetario, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Inflation target toleranceplus or minus 1.0 percentage pointsPrograma Monetario, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Monetary policy rate (TPM)5.5 %Comunicado de política monetaria de septiembre de 2026, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Banco Central reference selling rate60.9007 DOP per USDLey 183-02 art. 28, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Weighted average lending rate13.6 %Informe de la economía dominicana enero a junio 2026, as of 2026-06-30 · in force
Weighted average deposit rate7.34 %Informe de la economía dominicana enero a junio 2026, as of 2026-06-30 · in force
Nonperforming loans of financial entities1.5 %Banco Central, governor report, as of 2026-09-30 · in force
Regulatory solvency of financial entities18.9 %Banco Central, governor report citing Superintendencia de Bancos, as of 2026-05-31 · in force
Population estimate 2025 used in the national accounts10878267 peopleBanco Central, PIB en dólares referencia 2018, as of 2025-12-31 · in force

The rule

1. The Banco Central compiles the national accounts and the main economic statistics. Its 2025 preliminary figures put nominal GDP at RD$7,897,551.3 million, or US$127,861.4 million at its own average rate, and GDP per person at US$11,753.84 on a population of 10,878,267.
Example: RD$7,897,551.3 million divided by 10,878,267 people is about RD$725,994 a person. / US$127,861.4 million, or US$11,753.84 a person.Ley 183-02 Monetaria y Financiera; Banco Central, PIB en dólares referencia 2018, art. 15, 2002-11-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. Real GDP grew 14.0 percent in 2021, 5.2 percent in 2022, 2.2 percent in 2023, 5.0 percent in 2024 and 2.1 percent in 2025. In 2026 it rose 4.1 percent in the first quarter and 5.0 percent in the second, for 4.5 percent in the first half.Banco Central, PIB trimestral base 2018 and Informe de la economía dominicana enero a junio 2026, Presentación, 2026-06-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: First half 2026 growth of 4.5 percent compares with 2.4 percent in the first half of 2025.
3. The monthly activity index (IMAE) rose 5.6 percent in September 2026 and 4.6 percent on average in January to September. Construction grew 8.2 percent, financial services 7.8 percent, hotels, bars and restaurants 5.6 percent, mining 5.2 percent, local manufacturing 3.4 percent and free zones 2.8 percent. Farming grew only 1.4 percent.Banco Central, governor's report on the 79th anniversary; IMAE base 2018, Soporte gráfico, table IMAE, 2026-10-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. Services are about 62 percent of 2025 GDP, followed by construction at 12.5 percent, local manufacturing at 9.2 percent, farming at 4.6 percent, free zone manufacturing at 3.0 percent and mining at 1.9 percent. Hotels, bars and restaurants alone are 8.3 percent.Banco Central, PIB por origen base 2018, PIB$_Trim_Acum, ponderación 2025 E-D, 2026-09-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. On the demand side in the first half of 2026, final consumption grew 2.9 percent and fixed investment 8.1 percent, with exports up 6.6 percent and imports up 2.4 percent in real terms.Banco Central, Informe de la economía dominicana enero a junio 2026, Presentación, 2026-06-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. Official forecasts are about 4.5 percent real growth in 2026 and 4.75 percent in 2027, near an estimated potential of 5 percent. The macro framework behind the 2027 budget assumes average inflation of 5.10 percent in 2026 and 4.50 percent in 2027, and an average exchange rate of RD$60.15 in 2026 and RD$62.60 in 2027. These are projections, not statistics.Proyecto de Ley de Presupuesto General del Estado 2027, Cuadro 5, Panorama macroeconómico 2026 a 2030, Cuadro 5, 2026-09-25 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. Prices: the consumer index rose 0.33 percent in September 2026 and 5.12 percent over 12 months, down from a 5.67 percent peak in June. Core inflation was 4.61 percent, inside the target range. After 35 months inside the range, the headline rate went above its 5 percent ceiling because of the global energy shock.
Example: A lease of RD$100,000 a month indexed to 12 month inflation to September 2026 rises to RD$105,120. / About US$1,642 rising to about US$1,726 a month.Banco Central, Informe IPC septiembre 2026, Informe mensual, 2026-09-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
8. The policy rate is 5.50 percent after a rise of 25 basis points announced on 30 September 2026, the first change since it fell to 5.25 percent in late 2025. The overnight lending facility is 6.00 percent and the overnight deposit facility 4.75 percent. The Banco Central called the move preventive. Its communiqués list showed no October decision on 30 October 2026.Banco Central, comunicado de política monetaria de septiembre de 2026, Comunicado, 2026-09-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Policy rate raised from 5.25 percent to 5.50 percent on 30 September 2026; deposit facility from 4.50 to 4.75 percent and lending facility from 5.75 to 6.00 percent.
9. The peso is freely convertible and the market sets its price. The Banco Central publishes a reference rate for legal and accounting use: RD$60.4156 to buy and RD$60.9007 to sell on 29 October 2026. The peso strengthened 5.4 percent against the dollar between December 2025 and 30 September 2026.
Example: RD$1,000,000 at the selling rate. / About US$16,420.17.Ley 183-02 Monetaria y Financiera, art. 28, 2002-11-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30
10. Banks are profitable and well capitalized on the official figures. At September 2026 financial entities held about RD$4.6 trillion in assets, up 10.7 percent, or 53.9 percent of GDP, with deposits of more than RD$3.60 trillion. Return on equity was 23.1 percent, return on assets 3.0 percent and nonperforming loans 1.5 percent. Regulatory solvency was 18.9 percent in May against a 10 percent minimum.Banco Central, Informe de Estabilidad Financiera to May 2026 and governor's report, Nota de prensa, 2026-10-14 official text · verified 2026-10-30
11. Lending rates are well above the policy rate. At June 2026 the weighted average lending rate was 13.60 percent and the weighted average deposit rate 7.34 percent. Private credit in pesos grew about 7.4 percent in the year to September 2026.Banco Central, Informe de la economía dominicana enero a junio 2026; governor's report, Presentación, 2026-06-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
12. The government's long term plan, Meta RD 2036, aims to double real GDP and lists intermediate goals including GDP per person of US$13,800 in 2028 and US$22,900 in 2036, and formal employment of 50 percent in 2028. These are policy goals, not forecasts.Presupuesto Ciudadano 2027, proyecto de ley, section 3, 2026-10 official text · verified 2026-10-30
ActivityShare of 2025 nominal GDP (%)IMAE growth Jan to Sep 2026 (%)
Services, total61.84.6
Construction12.58.2
Commerce11.82.3
Local manufacturing9.23.4
Hotels, bars and restaurants8.35.6
Real estate and rentals7.53.8
Transport and storage7.45.0
Farming4.61.4
Financial services4.37.8
Free zone manufacturing3.02.8
Mining and quarrying1.95.2

Real GDP growth and structure. Sources: Banco Central, PIB trimestral base 2018 and PIB por origen base 2018 (2025 preliminary).

IndicatorLatestDate
Real GDP growth2.1%2025
IMAE growth4.6%Jan to Sep 2026
CPI, 12 months5.12%Sep 2026
Core CPI, 12 months4.61%Sep 2026
Policy rate5.50%30 Sep 2026
Reference rate, sellRD$60.900729 Oct 2026
Gross reservesUS$15,239.9 millionSep 2026
Open unemployment5.3%Q2 2026

Headline indicators on the verification date. Sources as listed in the rules.

Worked example

  • Real cost of peso funding. RD$100,000,000 (about US$1.6 million) at the 5.50 percent policy rate costs RD$5,500,000 a year (about US$90,311) before any bank spread. Against 5.12 percent inflation that is a real rate of about 0.36 percent (1.055 divided by 1.0512, minus 1). At the 13.60 percent average lending rate of June 2026 the same loan costs RD$13,600,000 (about US$223,314), or about 8 percent in real terms.
  • Sizing a budget in dollars. A plan of RD$50,000,000 a year is about US$821,009 at RD$60.9007 and about US$798,722 at the RD$62.60 average assumed in the 2027 budget, a difference of about US$22,287.

Step by step

  1. 1. Pull the Banco Central's rate file and the latest monetary policy communiqué on the day you price a deal (Ley 183-02 art. 28; meetings are monthly).
  2. 2. Use the IMAE for the current read on activity, then confirm with the quarterly GDP release (published in the Informe de la economía dominicana).
  3. 3. Use the budget's Cuadro 5 for official forward assumptions on growth, inflation, the exchange rate and oil, and label them as projections.
  4. 4. Set peso contracts' indexation clauses on the official CPI and state the base month.
  5. 5. Check the reform tracker for tax, fiscal and labor changes before locking a multi year model.

Common traps

  • Treating 2.1 percent as trend. 2025 was weak and the first half of 2026 is measured against that low base; the budget's potential estimate is 5 percent.
  • Mixing GDP denominators. The Banco Central's debt file uses 2026 GDP of US$140,737.2 million, the August panorama uses US$145,026.7 million and the quarterly debt report used US$132,209.6 million. The same dollar amount gives different ratios.
  • Reading the cover page of the June economic report. Its summary box shows March figures for reserves, FDI and remittances (US$16,143.1 million, US$1,671.9 million and US$3,019.7 million). The text gives the June figures: reserves US$15,821.6 million and FDI US$3,275.1 million.
  • Assuming a 5.25 percent policy rate. Press through August 2026 shows it; the Banco Central's rate file shows 5.50 percent from October 2026.
  • Using the buy rate when you need the sell rate. The gap was RD$0.4851 on 29 October 2026, or about 0.8 percent.

Sources

Related pages

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X

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