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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $662 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,052 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,443 in Higuey.

Living in Medellin is roughly 51% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.77 DOP 277

23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$28.42 DOP 1,651

15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.12 DOP 298

45.12%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.21 DOP 128

-25.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.46 DOP 26.61

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.40 DOP 23.44

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.92 DOP 111

-10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.01 DOP 175

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.04 DOP 60.7

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.00 DOP 58.4

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.87 DOP 50.5

58.62%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.51 DOP 87.7

44.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.62 DOP 152

71.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.44 DOP 200

68.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.97 DOP 289

80.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.19 DOP 185

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.87 DOP 50.7

21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.99 DOP 173

-49.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.01 DOP 117

-32.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.91 DOP 52.8

24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.28 DOP 133

-48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.10 DOP 63.7

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.84 DOP 48.74

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.19 DOP 244

-46.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.84 DOP 630

11.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.72 DOP 99.9

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.48 DOP 144

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.05 DOP 60.8

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.50 DOP 203

-59.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.12 DOP 123

-8.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.03 DOP 350

30.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.31 DOP 76.3

-24.43%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

-32.74%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

-15.16%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.8 DOP 2,952

63.44%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$25.82 DOP 1,501

-62.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.03 DOP 1,512

-9.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$14.20 DOP 825

77.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.31 DOP 251

-8.35%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$262 DOP 15.2K

20.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

-26.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.7 DOP 3,467

0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$52.4 DOP 3,042

-39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$97.3 DOP 5,652

4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$116 DOP 6,749

-7.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$158 DOP 9,210

199.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$109 DOP 6,360

241.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$275 DOP 16.0K

208.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$208 DOP 12.1K

245.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

67.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

12.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$466 DOP 27.1K

34.10%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Higuey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $158 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 34% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $158 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $662 in Higuey – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,003 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 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.