Food prices remain stable in the capital’s markets

With President Luis Abinader‘s directive to maintain food prices, market and grocery store vendors assured that prices will remain stable.

During a visit to the Duarte Market, Villa Consuelo, and Colmados in the National District, merchants said that the best-selling products with the start of Holy Week are tilapia, herring, cod, red beans, coconut, and cinnamon.

The product that has seen the biggest price increase is cod. According to a vendor at the Duarte Market, this type of fish cost RD$180 about four days ago and is now at RD$250. He said that despite the price hike, people continue to seek out the product, with higher demand on Wednesdays and Fridays because some people do not consume meat for religious reasons.

Ripe plantains cost between RD$20 and RD$30 pesos in the corner stores and markets of the capital of the Dominican Republic. March 2, 2026. Raúl Asencio /Listín Diario

During a visit to the Duarte Market, vendors said that rice costs between RD$35 and RD$40, a pound of beans RD$85, a green plantain RD$20 to RD$22, a ripe plantain RD$20, a pound of chicken RD$85, cod RD$250, herring RD$180, tilapia RD$225, half a gallon of oil RD$280 to RD$290, a pound of onions between RD$50 and RD$75, a pound of garlic RD$150 to RD$170, a carton of eggs RD$180 to RD$200, a coconut RD$30-70, a pound of sweet potato RD$25, a bunch of vegetables RD$50, and a pound of cinnamon RD$180.

In the case of the Villa Consuelo Market, the price of a pound of rice ranged between RD$35 and RD$40, beans RD$75 to RD$85, green plantains RD$20 to RD$25, ripe plantains RD$20, a pound of chicken RD$85, cod RD$270, herring RD$230, pink tilapia RD$160 and black tilapia RD$200, half a gallon of oil RD$175, onions RD$60, garlic RD$190, a carton of eggs RD$220, coconuts RD$75, sweet potatoes RD$25, vegetables RD$125, and a pound of beef RD$200 to RD$220.

Meanwhile, in the capital’s corner stores, they sell a pound of rice for RD$50 and RD$60, beans for RD$85 and RD$90, green plantains for RD$25 to RD$30, ripe plantains for RD$30, a pound of chicken for RD$100, cod for RD$300, herring for RD$250, small bottles of oil for RD$60 and RD$115, onions for RD$65 and RD$70, garlic for RD$200 to RD$250, a carton of eggs for RD$220 and RD$230, coconuts for RD$80, sweet potatoes for RD$35, and a packet of cinnamon for RD$10.

“We have to wait because if the producers raise the price of eggs , unfortunately we have to raise ours too. This week we’ve sold a lot of eggs because of Holy Week,” said Rafael Rojas, a vendor at the Duarte Market.

Egg cartons cost between RD$180 and RD$220 in markets and corner stores in Santo Domingo. March 2, 2026. Raúl Asencio/ Listín Diario

According to the report from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, the cost of the family basket by quintile up to February was RD$29,311.98 for the first quintile, RD$38,158.32 for the second quintile, RD$44,889.67 for the third quintile, RD$51,856.84 for the fourth quintile, and RD$78,846.31 for the fifth quintile.

Analyzing the monthly variation in the overall CPI for January 2026, it is observed that the groups with the greatest impact on inflation were Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Restaurants and Hotels, Education, Miscellaneous Goods and Services, and Housing. Conversely, the price reductions recorded in the Transportation group helped to mitigate the magnitude of the overall index growth.

The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages group showed a variation rate of 0.68% due to increases in the prices of fresh chicken, coffee, chicken broth, soft drinks, cassava, oranges, sour lemons, and plantains in their different varieties. 

While decreases were observed in agricultural products such as chili peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, onions, and green pigeon peas, these did not cause the variation in this group to be of greater magnitude.