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: $1,116 in Santo Domingo versus $662 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,815 in Santo Domingo versus $1,052 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,514 in Santo Domingo versus $1,443 in Higuey.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 69% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 16% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 DOP 491

$4.77 DOP 277

77.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 DOP 2,987

$28.42 DOP 1,651

80.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 DOP 432

$5.12 DOP 298

45.12%

Cappuccino

$2.63 DOP 153

$2.21 DOP 128

19.00%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.6

$0.46 DOP 26.61

115.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 44.90

$0.40 DOP 23.44

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 DOP 146

$1.92 DOP 111

30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 DOP 298

$3.01 DOP 175

70.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.1

$1.04 DOP 60.7

27.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 DOP 104

$1.00 DOP 58.4

79.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 DOP 86.3

$0.87 DOP 50.5

70.11%

Eggs

$2.19 DOP 127

$1.51 DOP 87.7

45.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 DOP 420

$2.62 DOP 152

175.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 DOP 364

$3.44 DOP 200

81.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 DOP 631

$4.97 DOP 289

118.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.19 DOP 185

4.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 53.9

$0.87 DOP 50.7

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 DOP 175

$2.99 DOP 173

0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 DOP 144

$0.91 DOP 52.8

172.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 139

$2.28 DOP 133

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.6

$1.10 DOP 63.7

-0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$0.84 DOP 48.74

15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 DOP 332

$4.19 DOP 244

36.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 630

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 DOP 161

$1.72 DOP 99.9

61.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$2.48 DOP 144

25.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 32.87

$1.05 DOP 60.8

-45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 DOP 3,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 DOP 194

$3.50 DOP 203

-4.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$2.12 DOP 123

-0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 348

$6.03 DOP 350

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 77.7

$1.31 DOP 76.3

2.29%

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

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

1.54%

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

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

0.53%

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

$77.2 DOP 4,483

$50.8 DOP 2,952

51.90%

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

$25.62 DOP 1,489

$25.82 DOP 1,501

-0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 DOP 2,125

$26.03 DOP 1,512

40.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 DOP 2,100

$14.20 DOP 825

154.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 DOP 818

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 DOP 388

$4.31 DOP 251

54.76%

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

$272 DOP 15.8K

$262 DOP 15.2K

3.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,123 DOP 472.0K

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 DOP 3,442

$59.7 DOP 3,467

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 DOP 3,041

$52.4 DOP 3,042

-0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 DOP 5,584

$97.3 DOP 5,652

-1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,676

$116 DOP 6,749

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 DOP 32.8K

$158 DOP 9,210

255.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 DOP 16.6K

$109 DOP 6,360

161.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 DOP 69.1K

$275 DOP 16.0K

332.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 DOP 38.7K

$208 DOP 12.1K

219.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,172 DOP 126.2K

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

11.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 DOP 68.5K

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

-8.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 DOP 35.0K

$466 DOP 27.1K

29.41%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Higuey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $564 in Santo Domingo and $158 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 29% 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: $51.0 in Santo Domingo vs $28.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Santo Domingo, 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: $564 in Santo Domingo versus $158 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 $1,116 per month in Santo Domingo versus $662 in Higuey – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,116 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 69% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.