Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Higuey Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Higuey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,117 in Santo Domingo versus $670 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Santo Domingo versus $1,077 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,590 in Santo Domingo versus $1,485 in Higuey.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 67% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 17% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 DOP 499

$4.58 DOP 276

80.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 DOP 3,074

$28.45 DOP 1,714

79.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 DOP 442

$5.11 DOP 308

43.64%

Cappuccino

$2.62 DOP 158

$2.21 DOP 133

18.55%

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

$1.03 DOP 61.9

$0.46 DOP 27.82

123.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 DOP 48.02

$0.44 DOP 26.49

81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 DOP 155

$1.92 DOP 116

33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 DOP 312

$2.91 DOP 175

77.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 83.8

$1.00 DOP 60.5

39.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 DOP 103

$1.05 DOP 63.4

63.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 94.5

$0.81 DOP 49.03

93.83%

Eggs

$2.20 DOP 133

$1.45 DOP 87.1

51.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.08 DOP 426

$2.52 DOP 152

180.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 DOP 385

$3.48 DOP 210

83.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 DOP 671

$4.95 DOP 298

124.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DOP 191

$3.33 DOP 201

-4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 56.2

$0.92 DOP 55.2

1.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 182

$2.92 DOP 176

3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 116

$2.00 DOP 121

-4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 DOP 153

$0.97 DOP 58.3

161.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 145

$2.36 DOP 142

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 68.6

$1.14 DOP 68.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 DOP 54.1

$0.82 DOP 49.32

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 DOP 349

$4.12 DOP 248

40.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 DOP 698

$11.28 DOP 679

2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 DOP 165

$1.66 DOP 99.7

64.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 DOP 195

$2.60 DOP 156

24.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 DOP 34.72

$1.04 DOP 62.8

-44.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.8 DOP 4,084

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 DOP 202

$3.35 DOP 202

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 133

$2.19 DOP 132

0.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 DOP 347

$5.77 DOP 347

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 80.6

$1.29 DOP 77.6

3.88%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

-0.76%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

1.64%

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

$75.6 DOP 4,555

$50.3 DOP 3,030

50.36%

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

$24.94 DOP 1,502

$25.54 DOP 1,538

-2.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.50 DOP 2,198

$25.91 DOP 1,560

40.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 DOP 2,198

$14.21 DOP 856

156.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 DOP 852

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 DOP 399

$4.18 DOP 252

58.37%

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

$267 DOP 16.1K

$271 DOP 16.3K

-1.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,171 DOP 492.2K

$7,996 DOP 481.6K

2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 DOP 3,635

$60.0 DOP 3,613

0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 DOP 3,128

$50.9 DOP 3,065

2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 DOP 5,763

$96.7 DOP 5,822

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,905

$115 DOP 6,901

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 DOP 34.5K

$164 DOP 9,868

249.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 DOP 16.9K

$111 DOP 6,695

152.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 DOP 69.8K

$275 DOP 16.5K

321.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 DOP 41.1K

$214 DOP 12.9K

218.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,206 DOP 132.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 DOP 72.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 DOP 37.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

12.25

5.31%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: April 21, 2026

Last update for Higuey: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $572 in Santo Domingo and $164 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51 in Santo Domingo vs $28 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 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

Santo Domingo vs Higuey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,675 in Santo Domingo and $1,005 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: $572 in Santo Domingo versus $164 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Santo Domingo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,117 per month in Santo Domingo versus $670 in Higuey – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Higuey versus $1,117 in Santo Domingo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Santo Domingo. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santo Domingo 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 67% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.