Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and San Fernando Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and San Fernando

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,154 per month in Arima vs $1,217 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,909 per month in Arima vs $2,005 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,664 per month in Arima vs $2,794 in San Fernando, rent included.

Arima is about 5% cheaper than San Fernando, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Arima and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, San Fernando 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.78 TTD 59.2

$10.40 TTD 70.1

-15.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 TTD 504

$59.1 TTD 399

26.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 TTD 51.3

$7.54 TTD 50.9

0.93%

Cappuccino

$2.36 TTD 15.91

$3.68 TTD 24.82

-35.87%

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

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$1.09 TTD 7.34

-7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 TTD 4.74

$0.77 TTD 5.18

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 TTD 10.77

$1.82 TTD 12.30

-12.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 20.10

$2.48 TTD 16.73

20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 TTD 15.09

$2.03 TTD 13.72

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 TTD 15.86

$2.34 TTD 15.80

0.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 TTD 15.45

$2.63 TTD 17.71

-12.93%

Eggs

$4.28 TTD 28.84

$3.83 TTD 25.83

11.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 TTD 41.42

$8.09 TTD 54.6

-24.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 39.05

$10.45 TTD 70.5

-44.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.62

$8.70 TTD 58.7

-51.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.57

$5.92 TTD 39.97

-3.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 TTD 13.70

$2.48 TTD 16.75

-18.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.16

$4.36 TTD 29.41

-0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 TTD 29.57

$4.67 TTD 31.51

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.24 TTD 8.35

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 TTD 5.55

$0.76 TTD 5.13

7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.73

$1.49 TTD 10.06

-3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.08

$1.16 TTD 7.85

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 TTD 28.04

$5.69 TTD 38.36

-26.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 128

$17.35 TTD 117

9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 TTD 13.18

$1.52 TTD 10.24

28.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.50

$2.71 TTD 18.27

1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 TTD 5.55

$0.46 TTD 3.09

78.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.31 TTD 299

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.76

$0.85 TTD 5.76

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.85

$0.86 TTD 5.77

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.52 TTD 98.0

$14.56 TTD 98.2

-0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 TTD 6.83

$0.99 TTD 6.68

2.02%

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

$26.8K TTD 180.9K

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

-22.08%

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

$27.2K TTD 183.7K

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

-28.75%

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

$81.5 TTD 550

$44.86 TTD 303

81.68%

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

$45.14 TTD 305

$42.88 TTD 289

5.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 425

$45.00 TTD 304

40.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 TTD 326

$46.91 TTD 316

2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 TTD 58.2

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TTD 34.39

$8.80 TTD 59.4

-42.05%

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

$134 TTD 905

$325 TTD 2,195

-58.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,162 TTD 48.3K

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

222.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 TTD 354

$43.93 TTD 296

19.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 TTD 182

$36.61 TTD 247

-26.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 TTD 843

$89.7 TTD 605

39.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 TTD 497

$90.4 TTD 610

-18.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,252

$533 TTD 3,596

-9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 TTD 2,403

$349 TTD 2,355

2.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 TTD 5,662

$976 TTD 6,583

-13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 TTD 4,821

$695 TTD 4,688

2.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 8,030

$1,030 TTD 6,947

15.58%

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 26, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Arima versus $533 in San Fernando. 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 16% higher in Arima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Arima versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Arima vs $330 in San Fernando – so Arima wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 San Fernando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando costs about 5% 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 $1,731 per month in Arima and $1,826 in San Fernando. 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 $1,154 in Arima and $1,217 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Arima and $325 in San Fernando. 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 $1,154, than in San Fernando at $1,217. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Fernando 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.

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