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: $1,139 in Santo Domingo versus $931 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Santo Domingo versus $1,524 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,410 in Santo Domingo versus $2,116 in Higuey.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 22% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 17% lower, Higuey 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 DOP 603

$9.98 DOP 588

2.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,045

$50.6 DOP 2,982

2.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 447

$8.00 DOP 472

-5.25%

Cappuccino

$2.46 DOP 145

$2.09 DOP 123

17.70%

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

$1.12 DOP 66.2

$1.08 DOP 63.9

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 DOP 37.40

$0.49 DOP 28.94

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 DOP 146

$2.56 DOP 151

-3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 DOP 204

$3.60 DOP 212

-3.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 82.0

$1.29 DOP 75.9

7.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 92.1

$1.56 DOP 92.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 DOP 98.3

$1.42 DOP 83.6

17.61%

Eggs

$2.41 DOP 142

$2.00 DOP 118

20.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 DOP 449

$7.55 DOP 445

0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 327

$5.52 DOP 325

0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 DOP 391

$6.84 DOP 403

-3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 DOP 191

$3.01 DOP 177

7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.48

$0.79 DOP 46.56

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 DOP 166

$1.50 DOP 88.6

88.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 DOP 108

$1.37 DOP 80.9

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 119

$1.20 DOP 70.8

68.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 DOP 135

$1.21 DOP 71.2

89.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 DOP 62.2

$0.57 DOP 33.51

85.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 DOP 59.8

$0.53 DOP 31.07

92.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 DOP 316

$5.42 DOP 319

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 DOP 618

$10.40 DOP 613

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 DOP 153

$2.58 DOP 152

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 DOP 182

$2.96 DOP 174

4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 36.20

$0.83 DOP 49.09

-26.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.37 DOP 1,083

$51.5 DOP 3,032

-64.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 194

$3.37 DOP 198

-2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 DOP 138

$2.34 DOP 138

0.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 341

$5.83 DOP 343

-0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 DOP 80.4

$1.37 DOP 81.0

-0.73%

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

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

1.39%

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

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

9.58%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,607

$95.1 DOP 5,606

0.01%

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

$32.26 DOP 1,901

$17.15 DOP 1,011

88.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.76 DOP 2,166

$33.89 DOP 1,997

8.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 DOP 1,798

$25.44 DOP 1,499

19.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 DOP 1,450

$66.5 DOP 3,916

-62.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 DOP 455

$7.74 DOP 456

-0.26%

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

$263 DOP 15.5K

$101 DOP 5,950

160.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,446 DOP 438.8K

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

229.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 DOP 2,766

$46.76 DOP 2,755

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.16 DOP 2,838

$47.87 DOP 2,821

0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 DOP 5,148

$87.8 DOP 5,172

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 DOP 7,556

$81.5 DOP 4,800

57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 DOP 42.8K

$302 DOP 17.8K

140.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 DOP 21.2K

$219 DOP 12.9K

63.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 DOP 86.1K

$589 DOP 34.7K

148.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 DOP 37.4K

$415 DOP 24.5K

52.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 DOP 129.9K

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

17.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 DOP 70.9K

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

-6.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 DOP 35.7K

$454 DOP 26.7K

33.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

11.5

17.91%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Higuey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Santo Domingo and $302 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo 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: $52.0 in Santo Domingo vs $51.0 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $727 in Santo Domingo versus $302 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,139 per month in Santo Domingo versus $931 in Higuey – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 180% less than in Santo Domingo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,139 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 22% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.