Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Santo Domingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Santo Domingo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in Higuey versus $1,117 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in Higuey versus $1,853 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,485 in Higuey versus $2,590 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 40% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 50% lower, Santo Domingo 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 DOP 275

$8.28 DOP 497

-44.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.45 DOP 1,710

$51.0 DOP 3,068

-44.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 DOP 307

$7.34 DOP 441

-30.38%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 133

$2.62 DOP 158

-15.65%

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

$0.46 DOP 27.76

$1.03 DOP 61.8

-55.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 DOP 26.43

$0.80 DOP 47.92

-45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 115

$2.57 DOP 155

-25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 DOP 175

$5.17 DOP 311

-43.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DOP 60.4

$1.39 DOP 83.6

-28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 DOP 63.3

$1.72 DOP 103

-38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 48.93

$1.57 DOP 94.3

-48.41%

Eggs

$1.45 DOP 86.9

$2.20 DOP 132

-34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.52 DOP 151

$7.08 DOP 425

-64.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 DOP 209

$6.40 DOP 385

-45.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 DOP 297

$11.13 DOP 669

-55.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 DOP 200

$3.17 DOP 190

5.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 55.1

$0.93 DOP 56.1

-1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 DOP 176

$3.03 DOP 182

-3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 DOP 120

$1.92 DOP 115

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 DOP 58.1

$2.54 DOP 153

-61.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 142

$2.40 DOP 144

-1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 68.3

$1.14 DOP 68.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 49.21

$0.90 DOP 54.0

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 DOP 248

$5.79 DOP 348

-28.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 DOP 678

$11.58 DOP 696

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 DOP 99.5

$2.73 DOP 164

-39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 156

$3.24 DOP 195

-19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 62.7

$0.58 DOP 34.64

79.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.8 DOP 4,076

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 201

$3.36 DOP 202

-0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 132

$2.21 DOP 133

-0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 DOP 347

$5.76 DOP 346

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 77.4

$1.34 DOP 80.4

-3.73%

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

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

0.77%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

-1.61%

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

$50.3 DOP 3,023

$75.6 DOP 4,545

-33.49%

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

$25.54 DOP 1,535

$24.94 DOP 1,499

2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.91 DOP 1,557

$36.50 DOP 2,194

-29.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.21 DOP 854

$36.49 DOP 2,193

-61.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 DOP 850

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 DOP 251

$6.62 DOP 398

-36.86%

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

$271 DOP 16.3K

$267 DOP 16.0K

1.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 480.6K

$8,171 DOP 491.1K

-2.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 DOP 3,605

$60.4 DOP 3,627

-0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 DOP 3,059

$51.9 DOP 3,121

-2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 DOP 5,809

$95.7 DOP 5,751

1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,886

$115 DOP 6,890

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 DOP 9,847

$572 DOP 34.4K

-71.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 DOP 6,681

$281 DOP 16.9K

-60.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.5K

$1,158 DOP 69.6K

-76.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 DOP 12.9K

$682 DOP 41.0K

-68.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,206 DOP 132.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 DOP 72.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 DOP 37.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

12.9

-5.04%

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

Last update for Higuey: April 20, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $164 in Higuey and $572 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28 in Higuey vs $51 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $247 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 Santo Domingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,005 in Higuey and $1,675 in Santo Domingo 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 $572 in Santo Domingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Santo Domingo. 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 $1,117 in Santo Domingo – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Higuey versus $1,117 in Santo Domingo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Higuey and Santo Domingo 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 67% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.