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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,063 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,461 in Higuey.

Living in Medellin is roughly 53% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.60 DOP 270

29.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$28.81 DOP 1,687

15.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.00 DOP 293

44.60%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.24 DOP 131

-27.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.49 DOP 28.71

122.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.43 DOP 25.31

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.89 DOP 110

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.92 DOP 171

10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.05 DOP 61.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.06 DOP 61.8

21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.81 DOP 47.48

62.96%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.51 DOP 88.5

50.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.51 DOP 147

73.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.34 DOP 196

76.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.98 DOP 292

72.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.18 DOP 186

-29.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.85 DOP 49.76

25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.02 DOP 177

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.93 DOP 113

-26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.90 DOP 52.8

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.38 DOP 139

-50.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.09 DOP 63.6

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.87 DOP 51.1

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.20 DOP 246

-46.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.75 DOP 630

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.74 DOP 102

-34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.62 DOP 154

-9.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.04 DOP 60.9

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.45 DOP 202

-59.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.19 DOP 128

-13.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.80 DOP 340

33.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.28 DOP 74.8

-21.09%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

-34.83%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

-15.96%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$51.2 DOP 2,996

63.60%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$25.39 DOP 1,487

-62.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.20 DOP 1,535

-7.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$14.60 DOP 855

73.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.22 DOP 247

-2.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$268 DOP 15.7K

16.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,089 DOP 473.9K

-25.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$59.9 DOP 3,507

-3.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$51.0 DOP 2,986

-36.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.4 DOP 5,650

3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$116 DOP 6,809

-6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$159 DOP 9,295

203.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$109 DOP 6,370

248.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$281 DOP 16.5K

197.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$213 DOP 12.5K

239.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $159 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 $170 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $999 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: $482 in Medellin versus $159 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $666 in Higuey – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,017 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 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.