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: $670 in Higuey versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in Higuey versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,485 in Higuey versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 DOP 276

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.45 DOP 1,714

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-14.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 DOP 308

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-29.52%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 133

$1.71 COP 6,137

29.24%

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

$0.46 DOP 27.82

$1.09 COP 3,915

-57.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 DOP 26.49

$0.77 COP 2,743

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 116

$1.75 COP 6,254

9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 DOP 175

$3.18 COP 11.4K

-8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DOP 60.5

$1.06 COP 3,792

-5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 DOP 63.4

$1.30 COP 4,657

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 49.03

$1.38 COP 4,926

-41.30%

Eggs

$1.45 DOP 87.1

$2.21 COP 7,908

-34.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.52 DOP 152

$4.52 COP 16.2K

-44.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 DOP 210

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 DOP 298

$8.97 COP 32.1K

-44.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 DOP 201

$2.29 COP 8,182

45.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 55.2

$1.06 COP 3,791

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 DOP 176

$1.51 COP 5,411

93.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 DOP 121

$1.36 COP 4,869

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 DOP 58.3

$1.16 COP 4,146

-16.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 142

$1.17 COP 4,174

101.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 68.5

$0.83 COP 2,960

37.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 49.32

$0.85 COP 3,043

-3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 DOP 248

$2.35 COP 8,423

75.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 DOP 679

$11.09 COP 39.7K

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 DOP 99.7

$1.15 COP 4,133

44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 156

$2.47 COP 8,853

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 62.8

$0.79 COP 2,827

31.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 202

$1.44 COP 5,140

132.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 132

$1.90 COP 6,793

15.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 DOP 347

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 77.6

$1.03 COP 3,680

25.24%

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

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

51.20%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

16.75%

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

$50.3 DOP 3,030

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-38.22%

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

$25.54 DOP 1,538

$9.42 COP 33.7K

171.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.91 DOP 1,560

$23.77 COP 85.1K

9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.21 DOP 856

$25.86 COP 92.6K

-45.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 DOP 252

$4.05 COP 14.5K

3.21%

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

$271 DOP 16.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-13.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 481.6K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

31.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 DOP 3,613

$58.9 COP 210.7K

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 DOP 3,065

$32.82 COP 117.5K

55.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 DOP 5,822

$100 COP 359.6K

-3.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,901

$106 COP 380.3K

7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 DOP 9,868

$490 COP 1.8M

-66.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 DOP 6,695

$371 COP 1.3M

-70.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-67.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 DOP 12.9K

$715 COP 2.6M

-70.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $164 in Higuey and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28 in Higuey vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,005 in Higuey and $1,544 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: $164 in Higuey versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $670 per month in Higuey versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Higuey versus $1,030 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.