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 $1,163 per month in Arima vs $1,410 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Arima vs $2,369 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Arima vs $3,327 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Arima is about 18% cheaper than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Arima sits 13% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$5.22 TTD 35.16

72.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 490

$75.3 TTD 507

-3.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TTD 50.6

$6.63 TTD 44.70

13.12%

Cappuccino

$2.39 TTD 16.12

$3.79 TTD 25.51

-36.94%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.36

$1.10 TTD 7.40

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$0.57 TTD 3.84

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.70

$1.89 TTD 12.74

-15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.51

$3.11 TTD 20.98

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.31

$2.63 TTD 17.71

-13.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 15.96

$2.09 TTD 14.10

13.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$2.61 TTD 17.59

-13.03%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.98

$4.43 TTD 29.85

-2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 TTD 42.12

$7.95 TTD 53.6

-21.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TTD 39.27

$10.44 TTD 70.3

-44.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.17

$14.28 TTD 96.2

-69.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.18

$5.78 TTD 38.94

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 TTD 13.94

$2.61 TTD 17.56

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.45

$4.38 TTD 29.49

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.48

$4.61 TTD 31.05

-5.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.44 TTD 9.69

-30.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$1.74 TTD 11.72

-51.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$1.87 TTD 12.60

-21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TTD 7.72

$1.39 TTD 9.39

-17.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 TTD 28.92

$5.95 TTD 40.13

-27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 TTD 12.75

$2.19 TTD 14.75

-13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.95

$2.72 TTD 18.31

3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

$0.91 TTD 6.16

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 TTD 497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$1.01 TTD 6.79

-8.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.89

$0.90 TTD 6.09

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 98.7

$14.62 TTD 98.5

0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 TTD 6.33

$1.07 TTD 7.21

-12.15%

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

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

$14.8K TTD 99.6K

84.47%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

$38.4K TTD 258.6K

-27.92%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

$81.4 TTD 549

0.09%

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

$43.65 TTD 294

$45.73 TTD 308

-4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 422

$61.4 TTD 414

2.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

$44.90 TTD 303

6.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 TTD 34.98

$7.45 TTD 50.2

-30.34%

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

$131 TTD 881

$326 TTD 2,195

-59.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

$7,197 TTD 48.5K

-1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 TTD 345

$60.2 TTD 405

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 TTD 182

$38.02 TTD 256

-28.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 859

$144 TTD 970

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 505

$127 TTD 856

-41.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 TTD 3,267

$653 TTD 4,398

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,389

$448 TTD 3,018

-20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 TTD 5,680

$1,433 TTD 9,658

-41.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 TTD 4,763

$961 TTD 6,477

-26.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

$1,777 TTD 12.0K

-32.17%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Arima versus $653 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 47% 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 $75.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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 21% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,745 per month in Arima and $2,115 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 $1,163 in Arima and $1,410 in Diego Martin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $326 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 $1,163, than in Diego Martin at $1,410. 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.