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: $931 in Higuey versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Higuey versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,116 in Higuey versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 45% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Higuey is 32% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 DOP 588

$8.02 COP 25.3K

24.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 DOP 2,982

$47.87 COP 151.0K

5.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 DOP 472

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-19.11%

Cappuccino

$2.09 DOP 123

$3.13 COP 9,873

-33.23%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.9

$1.91 COP 6,019

-43.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 DOP 28.94

$1.51 COP 4,763

-67.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 DOP 151

$3.12 COP 9,853

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 DOP 212

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-37.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.9

$1.44 COP 4,558

-10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 92.0

$2.49 COP 7,843

-37.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 DOP 83.6

$1.77 COP 5,595

-19.77%

Eggs

$2.00 DOP 118

$2.96 COP 9,336

-32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 DOP 445

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-25.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 DOP 325

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 DOP 403

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-52.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 177

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-27.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 DOP 46.56

$1.61 COP 5,073

-50.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 88.6

$2.25 COP 7,083

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 DOP 80.9

$2.25 COP 7,104

-39.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 DOP 70.8

$2.04 COP 6,444

-41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 DOP 71.2

$1.54 COP 4,842

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 DOP 33.51

$1.17 COP 3,691

-51.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 DOP 31.07

$1.31 COP 4,121

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 DOP 319

$3.90 COP 12.3K

38.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 DOP 613

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 DOP 152

$1.74 COP 5,498

48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 DOP 174

$2.87 COP 9,053

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 DOP 49.09

$1.22 COP 3,834

-31.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 DOP 3,032

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-36.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 DOP 198

$1.31 COP 4,129

157.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 DOP 138

$2.19 COP 6,899

6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 DOP 343

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-33.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 81.0

$1.37 COP 4,306

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

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-14.62%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-12.01%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,606

$177 COP 559.3K

-46.35%

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

$17.15 DOP 1,011

$13.88 COP 43.8K

23.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 DOP 1,997

$29.72 COP 93.8K

14.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.44 DOP 1,499

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-43.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.5 DOP 3,916

$17.12 COP 54.0K

288.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 DOP 456

$6.65 COP 21.0K

16.39%

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

$101 DOP 5,950

$813 COP 2.6M

-87.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-75.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.76 DOP 2,755

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-47.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 DOP 2,821

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-18.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 DOP 5,172

$138 COP 435.9K

-36.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 DOP 4,800

$102 COP 322.1K

-20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 DOP 17.8K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-71.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 DOP 12.9K

$663 COP 2.1M

-66.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 DOP 34.7K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-68.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 DOP 24.5K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-59.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-55.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-22.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 DOP 26.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

-33.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

10.94

5.12%

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

Last update for Higuey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Higuey and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 49% 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: $51.0 in Higuey vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $305, with Higuey cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% 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: $302 in Higuey versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Higuey versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 56% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,681 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 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.