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: $666 in Higuey versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Higuey versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,461 in Higuey versus $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 DOP 267

$5.95 COP 21.2K

-22.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.81 DOP 1,672

$33.33 COP 118.9K

-13.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 290

$7.23 COP 25.8K

-30.84%

Cappuccino

$2.24 DOP 130

$1.63 COP 5,811

37.42%

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

$0.49 DOP 28.44

$1.09 COP 3,904

-55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 DOP 25.07

$0.73 COP 2,604

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 DOP 109

$1.74 COP 6,197

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 DOP 169

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-9.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 60.7

$1.05 COP 3,742

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 DOP 61.2

$1.29 COP 4,614

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.05

$1.32 COP 4,718

-38.64%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.27 COP 8,101

-33.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 DOP 146

$4.35 COP 15.5K

-42.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$5.88 COP 21.0K

-43.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 289

$8.61 COP 30.7K

-42.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 184

$2.25 COP 8,015

41.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.30

$1.07 COP 3,814

-20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 175

$1.52 COP 5,438

98.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 112

$1.42 COP 5,073

35.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 DOP 52.3

$1.17 COP 4,173

-23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 138

$1.17 COP 4,166

103.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.0

$0.89 COP 3,163

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 DOP 50.6

$0.90 COP 3,215

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 DOP 244

$2.25 COP 8,008

86.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 DOP 624

$11.04 COP 39.4K

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 DOP 101

$1.14 COP 4,063

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 152

$2.38 COP 8,483

10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 60.4

$0.84 COP 2,979

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 200

$1.41 COP 5,019

144.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 127

$1.90 COP 6,779

15.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 DOP 337

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 74.1

$1.01 COP 3,586

26.73%

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

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

53.45%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

19.00%

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

$51.2 DOP 2,969

$83.7 COP 298.4K

-38.87%

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

$25.39 DOP 1,474

$9.45 COP 33.7K

168.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 DOP 1,520

$24.11 COP 86.0K

8.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 DOP 848

$25.31 COP 90.3K

-42.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 DOP 245

$4.10 COP 14.6K

2.93%

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

$268 DOP 15.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

-14.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 469.5K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

34.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 DOP 3,475

$58.0 COP 207.0K

3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,958

$32.56 COP 116.1K

56.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 DOP 5,597

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-3.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,746

$109 COP 387.1K

7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DOP 9,210

$482 COP 1.7M

-67.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,311

$379 COP 1.4M

-71.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 DOP 16.3K

$837 COP 3.0M

-66.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 DOP 12.4K

$723 COP 2.6M

-70.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Higuey and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Higuey vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $190 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $999 in Higuey and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $159 in Higuey versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Higuey versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,017 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 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.