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: $666 in Higuey versus $1,093 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Higuey versus $1,825 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,461 in Higuey versus $2,557 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 39% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 50% lower, Santo Domingo 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 DOP 267

$8.70 DOP 505

-47.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.81 DOP 1,672

$51.3 DOP 2,977

-43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 290

$7.39 DOP 429

-32.34%

Cappuccino

$2.24 DOP 130

$2.64 DOP 153

-15.15%

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

$0.49 DOP 28.44

$1.02 DOP 59.4

-51.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 DOP 25.07

$0.82 DOP 47.72

-47.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 DOP 109

$2.59 DOP 150

-27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 DOP 169

$5.24 DOP 304

-44.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 60.7

$1.40 DOP 81.0

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 DOP 61.2

$1.78 DOP 103

-40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.05

$1.55 DOP 90.2

-47.74%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.21 DOP 128

-31.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 DOP 146

$7.26 DOP 421

-65.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$6.48 DOP 376

-48.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 289

$10.82 DOP 628

-53.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 184

$3.26 DOP 189

-2.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.30

$0.92 DOP 53.3

-7.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 175

$3.01 DOP 175

0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 112

$2.01 DOP 117

-3.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 DOP 52.3

$2.55 DOP 148

-64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 138

$2.36 DOP 137

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.0

$1.13 DOP 65.6

-3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 DOP 50.6

$0.96 DOP 56.0

-9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 DOP 244

$5.64 DOP 327

-25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 DOP 624

$10.87 DOP 631

-1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 DOP 101

$2.62 DOP 152

-33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 152

$3.26 DOP 189

-19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 60.4

$0.57 DOP 32.80

82.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,915

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 200

$3.33 DOP 193

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 127

$2.10 DOP 122

4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 DOP 337

$5.89 DOP 342

-1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 74.1

$1.29 DOP 74.8

-0.78%

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

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

2.69%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

-0.35%

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

$51.2 DOP 2,969

$77.6 DOP 4,505

-34.10%

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

$25.39 DOP 1,474

$25.78 DOP 1,496

-1.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 DOP 1,520

$35.34 DOP 2,051

-25.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 DOP 848

$35.18 DOP 2,042

-58.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 824

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 DOP 245

$6.59 DOP 383

-35.96%

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

$268 DOP 15.5K

$271 DOP 15.7K

-1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 469.5K

$7,996 DOP 464.1K

1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 DOP 3,475

$58.9 DOP 3,420

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,958

$51.7 DOP 2,999

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 DOP 5,597

$95.3 DOP 5,532

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,746

$117 DOP 6,809

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DOP 9,210

$560 DOP 32.5K

-71.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,311

$285 DOP 16.6K

-61.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 DOP 16.3K

$1,177 DOP 68.3K

-76.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 DOP 12.4K

$669 DOP 38.8K

-68.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,164 DOP 125.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Higuey and $560 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Higuey vs $51.0 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $999 in Higuey and $1,640 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: $159 in Higuey versus $560 in Santo Domingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Santo Domingo. 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 $1,093 in Santo Domingo – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,093 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 64% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.