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: $1,093 in Santo Domingo versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Santo Domingo versus $1,063 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,557 in Santo Domingo versus $1,461 in Higuey.

Living in Santo Domingo is roughly 64% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Domingo 19% lower, Higuey 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 DOP 505

$4.60 DOP 267

89.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 DOP 2,977

$28.81 DOP 1,672

78.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 429

$5.00 DOP 290

47.80%

Cappuccino

$2.64 DOP 153

$2.24 DOP 130

17.86%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.4

$0.49 DOP 28.44

108.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 47.72

$0.43 DOP 25.07

90.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 150

$1.89 DOP 109

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 DOP 304

$2.92 DOP 169

79.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.0

$1.05 DOP 60.7

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 DOP 103

$1.06 DOP 61.2

67.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 90.2

$0.81 DOP 47.05

91.36%

Eggs

$2.21 DOP 128

$1.51 DOP 87.7

46.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 DOP 421

$2.51 DOP 146

189.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 DOP 376

$3.34 DOP 194

94.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 DOP 628

$4.98 DOP 289

117.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 DOP 189

$3.18 DOP 184

2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.3

$0.85 DOP 49.30

8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 175

$3.02 DOP 175

-0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$1.93 DOP 112

4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 DOP 148

$0.90 DOP 52.3

183.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 137

$2.38 DOP 138

-0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.6

$1.09 DOP 63.0

3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.0

$0.87 DOP 50.6

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 DOP 327

$4.20 DOP 244

34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 DOP 631

$10.75 DOP 624

1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 152

$1.74 DOP 101

50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 189

$2.62 DOP 152

24.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 32.80

$1.04 DOP 60.4

-45.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,915

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 193

$3.45 DOP 200

-3.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$2.19 DOP 127

-4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DOP 342

$5.80 DOP 337

1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 74.8

$1.28 DOP 74.1

0.78%

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

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

-2.62%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

0.35%

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

$77.6 DOP 4,505

$51.2 DOP 2,969

51.75%

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

$25.78 DOP 1,496

$25.39 DOP 1,474

1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.34 DOP 2,051

$26.20 DOP 1,520

34.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.18 DOP 2,042

$14.60 DOP 848

140.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 824

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 DOP 383

$4.22 DOP 245

56.16%

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

$271 DOP 15.7K

$268 DOP 15.5K

1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 464.1K

$8,089 DOP 469.5K

-1.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 DOP 3,420

$59.9 DOP 3,475

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 2,999

$51.0 DOP 2,958

1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 DOP 5,532

$96.4 DOP 5,597

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,809

$116 DOP 6,746

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 DOP 32.5K

$159 DOP 9,210

253.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 DOP 16.6K

$109 DOP 6,311

162.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 DOP 68.3K

$281 DOP 16.3K

318.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 38.8K

$213 DOP 12.4K

214.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,164 DOP 125.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 DOP 37.8K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $560 in Santo Domingo and $159 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Santo Domingo vs $29.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 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 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,640 in Santo Domingo 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: $560 in Santo Domingo versus $159 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Santo Domingo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,093 per month in Santo Domingo versus $666 in Higuey – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,093 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 64% less than in Santo Domingo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.