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 $1,162 per month in Arima vs $1,197 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,901 per month in Arima vs $1,968 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Arima vs $2,740 in San Fernando, rent included.

Arima is about 3% 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 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 TTD 58.8

$10.30 TTD 70.0

-16.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 TTD 494

$59.2 TTD 402

22.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 TTD 49.59

$7.54 TTD 51.2

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$2.31 TTD 15.67

$3.76 TTD 25.52

-38.56%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.39

$1.09 TTD 7.37

-13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.11

$0.80 TTD 5.45

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 TTD 11.19

$1.90 TTD 12.89

-13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 20.26

$2.47 TTD 16.76

20.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 TTD 15.24

$2.00 TTD 13.56

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 16.11

$2.32 TTD 15.74

2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.63

$2.57 TTD 17.44

-10.51%

Eggs

$4.22 TTD 28.63

$3.77 TTD 25.58

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 TTD 42.16

$8.07 TTD 54.8

-23.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.83

$10.36 TTD 70.3

-44.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.86

$8.47 TTD 57.5

-49.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 40.10

$5.81 TTD 39.45

1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.33

$2.55 TTD 17.30

-23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 TTD 29.99

$4.29 TTD 29.10

3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 TTD 30.47

$4.63 TTD 31.46

-3.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.77

$1.23 TTD 8.33

-18.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TTD 5.31

$0.77 TTD 5.23

1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.80

$1.46 TTD 9.90

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.17

$1.21 TTD 8.22

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 TTD 28.48

$5.52 TTD 37.49

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 TTD 133

$17.74 TTD 120

10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 TTD 12.90

$1.50 TTD 10.20

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.52

$2.73 TTD 18.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.43

$0.42 TTD 2.86

90.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 TTD 300

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 TTD 6.42

$0.92 TTD 6.23

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.92

$0.92 TTD 6.24

-21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 TTD 99.9

$14.79 TTD 100

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 TTD 6.28

$1.03 TTD 7.00

-10.68%

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

$27.0K TTD 183.2K

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

-21.15%

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

$27.3K TTD 185.2K

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

-29.77%

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

$79.5 TTD 540

$45.18 TTD 307

75.92%

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

$44.40 TTD 301

$42.01 TTD 285

5.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 427

$46.20 TTD 314

36.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 TTD 329

$45.57 TTD 309

6.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 TTD 59.9

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TTD 34.63

$9.12 TTD 61.9

-44.08%

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

$131 TTD 889

$326 TTD 2,212

-59.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,130 TTD 48.4K

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

220.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 351

$45.00 TTD 306

14.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.67 TTD 181

$36.74 TTD 249

-27.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 TTD 858

$88.3 TTD 600

43.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 TTD 508

$89.8 TTD 610

-16.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,222

$532 TTD 3,610

-10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,457

$348 TTD 2,365

3.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 TTD 5,748

$977 TTD 6,636

-13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 TTD 4,788

$699 TTD 4,749

0.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 8,077

$1,009 TTD 6,850

17.92%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $532 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 18% 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 $73.0 in Arima versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Arima vs $329 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 3% 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 $1,744 per month in Arima and $1,795 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 $1,162 in Arima and $1,197 in San Fernando. 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 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 $1,162, than in San Fernando at $1,197. 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.