Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $931 in Higuey versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Higuey versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,116 in Higuey versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 44% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Higuey is 32% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 DOP 588

$11.92 MX$205

-16.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 DOP 2,982

$51.6 MX$886

-1.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 DOP 472

$11.41 MX$196

-29.89%

Cappuccino

$2.09 DOP 123

$3.99 MX$68.6

-47.62%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.9

$1.66 MX$28.48

-34.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 DOP 28.94

$1.33 MX$22.77

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 DOP 151

$3.47 MX$59.6

-26.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 DOP 212

$5.90 MX$101

-38.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.9

$1.88 MX$32.21

-31.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 92.0

$3.25 MX$55.9

-52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 DOP 83.6

$2.16 MX$37.10

-34.26%

Eggs

$2.00 DOP 118

$2.90 MX$49.72

-31.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 DOP 445

$12.86 MX$221

-41.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 DOP 325

$10.05 MX$173

-45.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 DOP 403

$15.86 MX$272

-56.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 177

$3.29 MX$56.6

-8.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 DOP 46.56

$2.01 MX$34.44

-60.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 88.6

$2.20 MX$37.76

-31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 DOP 80.9

$2.36 MX$40.44

-41.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 DOP 70.8

$2.05 MX$35.27

-41.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 DOP 71.2

$1.90 MX$32.64

-36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 DOP 33.51

$1.61 MX$27.55

-64.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 DOP 31.07

$1.40 MX$23.98

-62.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 DOP 319

$5.46 MX$93.8

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 DOP 613

$17.65 MX$303

-41.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 DOP 152

$2.06 MX$35.28

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 DOP 174

$4.68 MX$80.4

-36.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 DOP 49.09

$0.34 MX$5.81

144.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 DOP 3,032

$20.81 MX$357

147.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 DOP 198

$2.10 MX$35.99

60.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 DOP 138

$0.56 MX$9.60

317.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 DOP 343

$5.81 MX$99.8

0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 81.0

$1.61 MX$27.56

-14.91%

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

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

$22.8K MX$392.1K

4.05%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$26.8K MX$459.2K

17.67%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,606

$65.2 MX$1,119

45.95%

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

$17.15 DOP 1,011

$30.09 MX$517

-43.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 DOP 1,997

$37.18 MX$638

-8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.44 DOP 1,499

$59.8 MX$1,026

-57.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.5 DOP 3,916

$26.55 MX$456

150.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 DOP 456

$7.04 MX$121

9.94%

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

$101 DOP 5,950

$465 MX$7,976

-78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-83.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.76 DOP 2,755

$75.9 MX$1,303

-38.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 DOP 2,821

$56.0 MX$960

-14.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 DOP 5,172

$112 MX$1,920

-21.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 DOP 4,800

$121 MX$2,068

-32.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 DOP 17.8K

$1,103 MX$18.9K

-72.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 DOP 12.9K

$721 MX$12.4K

-69.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 DOP 34.7K

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-76.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 DOP 24.5K

$1,293 MX$22.2K

-67.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

$3,991 MX$68.5K

-53.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

$2,090 MX$35.9K

-38.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 DOP 26.7K

$1,037 MX$17.8K

-56.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.3

1.77%

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

Last update for Higuey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Higuey and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 129% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $345 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 129% lower in Mexico City. 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 $1,103 in Mexico City. 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 $1,660 in Mexico City – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 147% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Higuey and Mexico City 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.