Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Higuey Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Higuey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,065 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,464 in Higuey.

Living in Medellin is roughly 55% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.63 DOP 274

27.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$28.62 DOP 1,691

14.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.18 DOP 306

39.00%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.21 DOP 131

-23.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.49 DOP 28.96

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.44 DOP 25.89

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.92 DOP 113

-13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.98 DOP 176

4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.99 DOP 58.8

7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.05 DOP 61.8

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.86 DOP 50.9

61.63%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.53 DOP 90.4

47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$2.50 DOP 148

73.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.44 DOP 204

69.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.19 DOP 307

70.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.19 DOP 188

-29.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.85 DOP 50.3

27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.04 DOP 179

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.92 DOP 114

-28.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.92 DOP 54.5

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.40 DOP 142

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.13 DOP 66.9

-24.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.81 DOP 48.09

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.28 DOP 253

-45.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.42 DOP 675

-2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.67 DOP 98.9

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.57 DOP 152

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.00 DOP 59.1

-21.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.46 DOP 204

-58.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.20 DOP 130

-13.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.04 DOP 357

32.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.26 DOP 74.6

-25.40%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-33.01%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

-16.87%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$51.6 DOP 3,047

62.81%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$24.97 DOP 1,476

-61.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.69 DOP 1,577

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$14.15 DOP 836

82.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.22 DOP 249

-7.11%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$264 DOP 15.6K

15.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,942 DOP 469.3K

-25.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$60.8 DOP 3,591

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.2 DOP 3,027

-37.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$95.9 DOP 5,669

4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$115 DOP 6,799

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$163 DOP 9,610

199.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$109 DOP 6,432

238.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$282 DOP 16.7K

192.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$211 DOP 12.5K

239.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.25

9.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Higuey: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $163 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $171 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

Medellin vs Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,000 in Higuey 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: $487 in Medellin versus $163 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $666 in Higuey – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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 Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Higuey 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 55% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.