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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,063 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,461 in Higuey.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 117% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Higuey is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.60 DOP 270

182.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$28.81 DOP 1,687

82.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.00 DOP 293

88.60%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.24 DOP 131

59.37%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.49 DOP 28.71

228.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.43 DOP 25.31

167.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.89 DOP 110

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.92 DOP 171

66.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.05 DOP 61.2

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.06 DOP 61.8

149.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.81 DOP 47.48

134.57%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.51 DOP 88.5

68.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$2.51 DOP 147

301.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.34 DOP 196

148.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.98 DOP 292

132.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.18 DOP 186

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.85 DOP 49.76

101.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.02 DOP 177

-32.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.93 DOP 113

6.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.90 DOP 52.8

128.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.38 DOP 139

-8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.09 DOP 63.6

28.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.87 DOP 51.1

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.20 DOP 246

2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$10.75 DOP 630

43.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.74 DOP 102

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.62 DOP 154

40.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.04 DOP 60.9

-63.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.45 DOP 202

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.19 DOP 128

-87.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.80 DOP 340

-6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.28 DOP 74.8

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

-29.64%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

-25.58%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$51.2 DOP 2,996

-19.80%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$25.39 DOP 1,487

6.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$26.20 DOP 1,535

13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$14.60 DOP 855

258.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.22 DOP 247

46.45%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$268 DOP 15.7K

59.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$8,089 DOP 473.9K

32.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$59.9 DOP 3,507

-5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$51.0 DOP 2,986

-12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$96.4 DOP 5,650

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$116 DOP 6,809

-8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$159 DOP 9,295

526.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$109 DOP 6,370

471.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$281 DOP 16.5K

655.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$213 DOP 12.5K

488.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

12.25

-7.43%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $159 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $29.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $159 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $666 in Higuey – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,447 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 117% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.