Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Higuey

For one person, living is cheaper in Higuey: $926 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Higuey, Dominican Republic
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Higuey
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$926
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Higuey

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Higuey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $926 in Higuey.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Higuey $926

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $1,521 in Higuey.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Higuey $1,521

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $2,116 in Higuey.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Higuey $2,116

Living in Lisbon is roughly 138% more expensive than in Higuey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 63% above, Higuey is 31% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.08
$9.95 DOP 598
69.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.6
$52.3 DOP 3,144
16.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.82
$7.43 DOP 446
47.78%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.73
$2.12 DOP 127
43.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.07 DOP 64.2
113.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.49 DOP 29.24
242.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$2.51 DOP 151
37.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.49
$3.04 DOP 183
28.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.20 DOP 72.3
-4.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.54 DOP 92.7
22.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.38 DOP 82.8
8.70%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.68
$2.00 DOP 120
106.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.63
$7.36 DOP 442
76.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.19
$5.26 DOP 316
52.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €16.00
$6.78 DOP 407
163.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$2.92 DOP 175
-22.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.76 DOP 45.92
128.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.46 DOP 87.8
24.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.40
$1.29 DOP 77.2
108.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.14 DOP 68.2
55.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.18 DOP 70.6
64.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.56 DOP 33.50
160.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.52 DOP 31.14
46.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.95
$5.22 DOP 314
27.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.04
$10.19 DOP 612
-44.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.43 DOP 146
-46.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.88 DOP 173
-25.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.06
$0.84 DOP 50.5
173.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.36
$48.70 DOP 2,925
-9.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.56
$3.39 DOP 203
17.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$2.19 DOP 131
-70.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.92
$5.70 DOP 343
232.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.47 DOP 88.2
55.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.8K
$25.0K DOP 1.5M
33.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.4K
$31.2K DOP 1.9M
23.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$93.0 DOP 5,586
70.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.68
$16.84 DOP 1,011
4.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.89
$33.54 DOP 2,015
-7.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.92
$24.52 DOP 1,473
82.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.97
$66.9 DOP 4,020
-71.65%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.56
$7.29 DOP 438
31.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €602
$97.5 DOP 5,857
590.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$2,149 DOP 129.1K
771.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$44.91 DOP 2,697
127.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €41.04
$45.51 DOP 2,733
0.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.4
$85.8 DOP 5,150
19.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$79.2 DOP 4,756
54.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,467
$300 DOP 18.0K
447.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,062
$217 DOP 13.0K
447.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,526
$570 DOP 34.2K
395.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,805
$415 DOP 24.9K
386.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €7,007
$1,862 DOP 111.8K
320.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,204
$1,225 DOP 73.6K
283.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Higuey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,508
$444 DOP 26.7K
279.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
11.5
-66.78%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Higuey: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Higuey
$217 81.8% $971
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Higuey
$194 29.4% $81
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Higuey
$152 37.9% $93
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Higuey
$143 30.7% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Higuey
$115 31.4% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Higuey
$39 38.7% $25
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Higuey
$66 9.9% $6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $300 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 3.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $52 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $194 per month, with Higuey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇩🇴 Higuey
🕒 Local time
21:35 9:35 PM
17:35 5:35 PM
4 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
123,787
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

DOP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 60.06 DOP (100 DOP = 1.67 USD). 1 EUR = 67.17 DOP (100 DOP = 1.49 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Higuey 6,110 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Higuey

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lisbon vs Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Higuey cheaper than Lisbon?
Higuey is about 58% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Higuey?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 3.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Higuey?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $300 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Higuey?
All in, you’ll spend $2,206 per month in Lisbon versus $926 in Higuey – Higuey is about 58% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 10% less than in Higuey. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is Lisbon or Higuey more family-friendly?
For families, Higuey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Higuey?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Higuey are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Higuey wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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