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: $662 in Higuey versus $1,116 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,052 in Higuey versus $1,815 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,443 in Higuey versus $2,514 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 41% less than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 50% lower, Santo Domingo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 DOP 277

$8.45 DOP 491

-43.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.42 DOP 1,651

$51.4 DOP 2,987

-44.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 DOP 298

$7.43 DOP 432

-31.09%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 128

$2.63 DOP 153

-15.97%

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

$0.46 DOP 26.61

$0.99 DOP 57.6

-53.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 DOP 23.44

$0.77 DOP 44.90

-48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 111

$2.51 DOP 146

-23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 DOP 175

$5.13 DOP 298

-41.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DOP 60.7

$1.33 DOP 77.1

-21.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 DOP 58.4

$1.79 DOP 104

-44.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.5

$1.48 DOP 86.3

-41.22%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.19 DOP 127

-31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.62 DOP 152

$7.23 DOP 420

-63.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 DOP 200

$6.26 DOP 364

-45.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 DOP 289

$10.85 DOP 631

-54.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 DOP 185

$3.34 DOP 194

-4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.7

$0.93 DOP 53.9

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 DOP 173

$3.00 DOP 175

-0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.8

$2.48 DOP 144

-63.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 DOP 133

$2.40 DOP 139

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 DOP 63.7

$1.09 DOP 63.6

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 48.74

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-13.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 DOP 244

$5.72 DOP 332

-26.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 630

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 DOP 99.9

$2.77 DOP 161

-37.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 144

$3.12 DOP 181

-20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 DOP 60.8

$0.57 DOP 32.87

84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 DOP 3,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 203

$3.34 DOP 194

4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 DOP 123

$2.10 DOP 122

0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 DOP 350

$5.99 DOP 348

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 DOP 76.3

$1.34 DOP 77.7

-2.24%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

-1.51%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

-0.53%

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

$50.8 DOP 2,952

$77.2 DOP 4,483

-34.17%

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

$25.82 DOP 1,501

$25.62 DOP 1,489

0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 DOP 1,512

$36.56 DOP 2,125

-28.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.20 DOP 825

$36.14 DOP 2,100

-60.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 DOP 818

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 DOP 251

$6.67 DOP 388

-35.38%

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

$262 DOP 15.2K

$272 DOP 15.8K

-3.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

$8,123 DOP 472.0K

-0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 DOP 3,467

$59.2 DOP 3,442

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,042

$52.3 DOP 3,041

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 DOP 5,652

$96.1 DOP 5,584

1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,749

$115 DOP 6,676

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 DOP 9,210

$564 DOP 32.8K

-71.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,360

$286 DOP 16.6K

-61.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.0K

$1,189 DOP 69.1K

-76.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 DOP 12.1K

$666 DOP 38.7K

-68.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

$2,172 DOP 126.2K

-10.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

$1,180 DOP 68.5K

8.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 DOP 27.1K

$603 DOP 35.0K

-22.73%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Higuey and $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 29% 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: $28.00 in Higuey vs $51.0 in Santo Domingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $246 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 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Santo Domingo. 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: $158 in Higuey versus $564 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 $662 per month in Higuey versus $1,116 in Santo Domingo – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,116 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 69% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.