Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Diego Martin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Diego Martin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,184 per month in Arima vs $1,461 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Arima vs $2,398 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,653 per month in Arima vs $3,334 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Arima is about 19% cheaper than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arima sits 12% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 TTD 60.0

$5.06 TTD 33.92

77.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 TTD 486

$73.7 TTD 494

-1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 TTD 49.03

$6.47 TTD 43.38

13.14%

Cappuccino

$2.42 TTD 16.24

$3.62 TTD 24.22

-33.15%

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

$0.96 TTD 6.46

$1.05 TTD 7.04

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.73

$0.57 TTD 3.85

24.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 TTD 10.99

$1.83 TTD 12.27

-10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TTD 19.38

$3.13 TTD 20.97

-7.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.55

$2.67 TTD 17.86

-13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.17

$2.05 TTD 13.72

10.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 TTD 15.09

$2.68 TTD 17.97

-16.04%

Eggs

$4.24 TTD 28.37

$4.48 TTD 30.01

-5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.58

$7.97 TTD 53.4

-25.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 TTD 38.97

$10.32 TTD 69.1

-43.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 TTD 29.54

$14.01 TTD 93.8

-68.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.00

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 TTD 13.63

$2.61 TTD 17.50

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.53

$4.40 TTD 29.49

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 TTD 29.78

$4.83 TTD 32.34

-7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 TTD 6.97

$1.50 TTD 10.06

-30.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 TTD 5.27

$1.72 TTD 11.56

-54.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.09

$1.94 TTD 13.01

-22.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.06

$1.39 TTD 9.32

-13.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 TTD 28.97

$5.80 TTD 38.83

-25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 TTD 124

$18.46 TTD 124

0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 TTD 13.14

$2.13 TTD 14.29

-7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.21

$2.79 TTD 18.68

-2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.34

$0.86 TTD 5.78

-6.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 TTD 497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 TTD 6.58

$1.01 TTD 6.78

-2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.76

$0.85 TTD 5.71

-16.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 TTD 100

$15.03 TTD 101

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 TTD 6.20

$1.10 TTD 7.38

-15.45%

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

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

$14.5K TTD 97.1K

85.04%

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

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

$38.8K TTD 259.9K

-28.79%

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

$81.4 TTD 545

$78.7 TTD 527

3.46%

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

$44.96 TTD 301

$47.17 TTD 316

-4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 411

$61.0 TTD 408

0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 TTD 327

$45.10 TTD 302

8.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 TTD 34.23

$7.21 TTD 48.28

-29.13%

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

$133 TTD 888

$323 TTD 2,165

-59.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

$7,242 TTD 48.5K

0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 TTD 351

$59.5 TTD 398

-11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.74 TTD 179

$38.72 TTD 259

-30.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 848

$147 TTD 987

-14.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 TTD 504

$130 TTD 873

-42.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,183

$675 TTD 4,519

-29.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,376

$440 TTD 2,947

-19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 TTD 5,736

$1,449 TTD 9,706

-40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 TTD 4,828

$969 TTD 6,492

-25.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 TTD 7,926

$1,751 TTD 11.7K

-32.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

-44.24%

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

Last update for Arima: May 30, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $675 in Diego Martin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 48% higher in Diego Martin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $74.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $366 – making Arima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arima vs Diego Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin costs about 23% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Arima and $2,192 in Diego Martin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,184 in Arima and $1,461 in Diego Martin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Arima and $323 in Diego Martin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Diego Martin at $1,461. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.