Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Higuey Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Higuey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $931 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,524 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,116 in Higuey.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Higuey is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$9.98 DOP 588

19.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$50.6 DOP 2,982

1.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$8.00 DOP 472

42.63%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.09 DOP 123

90.91%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.08 DOP 63.9

53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.49 DOP 28.94

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.56 DOP 151

35.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.60 DOP 212

63.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.29 DOP 75.9

45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.56 DOP 92.0

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.42 DOP 83.6

52.11%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.00 DOP 118

45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$7.55 DOP 445

70.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.52 DOP 325

82.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$6.84 DOP 403

131.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.01 DOP 177

9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$0.79 DOP 46.56

154.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.50 DOP 88.6

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.37 DOP 80.9

72.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.20 DOP 70.8

70.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.21 DOP 71.2

57.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.57 DOP 33.51

182.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.53 DOP 31.07

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$5.42 DOP 319

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$10.40 DOP 613

69.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.58 DOP 152

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.96 DOP 174

58.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.83 DOP 49.09

-59.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$51.5 DOP 3,032

-59.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$3.37 DOP 198

-37.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.34 DOP 138

-76.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$5.83 DOP 343

-0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.37 DOP 81.0

17.52%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

-3.89%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

-15.02%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$95.1 DOP 5,606

-31.48%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$17.15 DOP 1,011

75.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$33.89 DOP 1,997

9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$25.44 DOP 1,499

134.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$66.5 DOP 3,916

-60.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.74 DOP 456

-9.04%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$101 DOP 5,950

360.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

488.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$46.76 DOP 2,755

62.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$47.87 DOP 2,821

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$87.8 DOP 5,172

27.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$81.5 DOP 4,800

47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$302 DOP 17.8K

264.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$219 DOP 12.9K

228.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$589 DOP 34.7K

329.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$415 DOP 24.5K

211.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

112.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

61.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$454 DOP 26.7K

128.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.5

-1.74%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Higuey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $302 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 129% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $51.0 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $200 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

Mexico City vs Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 129% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $302 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $931 in Higuey – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 147% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.