Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $662 in Higuey versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,052 in Higuey versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,443 in Higuey versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 34% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 50% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 DOP 277

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-19.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.42 DOP 1,651

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-13.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 DOP 298

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-31.09%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 128

$1.65 COP 5,207

33.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 DOP 26.61

$1.10 COP 3,468

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 DOP 23.44

$0.78 COP 2,458

-48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 111

$1.72 COP 5,412

11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 DOP 175

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DOP 60.7

$1.10 COP 3,474

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 DOP 58.4

$1.26 COP 3,962

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.5

$1.38 COP 4,349

-36.96%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.18 COP 6,858

-30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.62 DOP 152

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-41.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 DOP 200

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-40.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 DOP 289

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-44.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 DOP 185

$2.32 COP 7,308

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.7

$1.06 COP 3,352

-17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 DOP 173

$1.52 COP 4,774

96.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$1.36 COP 4,270

47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.8

$1.13 COP 3,552

-19.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 DOP 133

$1.17 COP 3,689

94.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 DOP 63.7

$0.90 COP 2,838

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 48.74

$0.90 COP 2,823

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 DOP 244

$2.23 COP 7,034

87.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 630

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-10.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 DOP 99.9

$1.19 COP 3,743

44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 144

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 DOP 60.8

$0.85 COP 2,687

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 203

$1.42 COP 4,459

146.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 DOP 123

$1.95 COP 6,141

8.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 DOP 350

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-23.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 DOP 76.3

$0.99 COP 3,118

32.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

48.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

17.87%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$50.8 DOP 2,952

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-38.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.82 DOP 1,501

$9.70 COP 30.5K

166.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 DOP 1,512

$23.52 COP 74.1K

10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.20 DOP 825

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-43.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 DOP 251

$3.95 COP 12.4K

9.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$262 DOP 15.2K

$316 COP 994.2K

-16.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

35.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 DOP 3,467

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,042

$31.82 COP 100.2K

64.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 DOP 5,652

$102 COP 320.1K

-4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,749

$107 COP 338.3K

8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 DOP 9,210

$475 COP 1.5M

-66.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,360

$374 COP 1.2M

-70.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

-67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 DOP 12.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-71.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-40.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-10.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 DOP 27.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-25.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

13.43

-8.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Higuey: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Higuey and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Higuey vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $193 per month, with Higuey cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Higuey vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $158 in Higuey versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $662 per month in Higuey versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Higuey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Higuey and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Higuey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.