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 $1,258 per month in Arima vs $1,253 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,135 per month in Arima vs $2,001 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,012 per month in Arima vs $2,749 in San Fernando, rent included.

Arima and San Fernando have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$10.29 TTD 69.4

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 TTD 504

$59.1 TTD 399

26.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 TTD 60.1

$8.15 TTD 54.9

9.45%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.66

$3.80 TTD 25.64

-3.68%

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

$1.04 TTD 6.98

$0.99 TTD 6.67

5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.80

$0.76 TTD 5.12

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 TTD 12.48

$1.87 TTD 12.61

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.16

$2.51 TTD 16.92

19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 TTD 16.52

$2.03 TTD 13.66

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 TTD 16.20

$2.26 TTD 15.25

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 TTD 18.72

$2.81 TTD 18.92

-1.07%

Eggs

$4.37 TTD 29.47

$3.93 TTD 26.50

11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 TTD 45.85

$6.79 TTD 45.75

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 TTD 42.78

$9.95 TTD 67.1

-36.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.7

$8.72 TTD 58.8

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 TTD 37.30

$5.54 TTD 37.36

-0.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 TTD 14.85

$2.47 TTD 16.65

-10.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 TTD 25.07

$3.59 TTD 24.23

3.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 TTD 33.89

$4.18 TTD 28.20

20.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 TTD 9.01

$0.72 TTD 4.86

86.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 TTD 6.46

$0.77 TTD 5.19

24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 TTD 9.05

$1.51 TTD 10.19

-11.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TTD 6.15

$1.16 TTD 7.82

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 TTD 32.22

$5.76 TTD 38.84

-17.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 TTD 127

$17.73 TTD 120

5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 TTD 12.39

$1.56 TTD 10.53

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.19

$3.04 TTD 20.50

-1.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 TTD 6.85

$0.45 TTD 3.05

126.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.37 TTD 299

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 TTD 4.75

$0.87 TTD 5.86

-19.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 TTD 5.09

$0.90 TTD 6.09

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.47 TTD 97.5

$14.99 TTD 101

-3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TTD 7.80

$1.17 TTD 7.91

-0.85%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.9K

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

-23.50%

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

$36.3K TTD 244.7K

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

-11.90%

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

$92.2 TTD 622

$44.23 TTD 298

108.52%

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

$44.61 TTD 301

$42.55 TTD 287

4.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 TTD 377

$46.30 TTD 312

20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 TTD 346

$51.0 TTD 344

0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 TTD 59.4

$8.89 TTD 59.9

-0.90%

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

$174 TTD 1,176

$396 TTD 2,670

-55.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 TTD 424

$55.2 TTD 372

13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 TTD 299

$37.31 TTD 252

18.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 970

$89.7 TTD 605

60.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 506

$87.5 TTD 590

-14.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 TTD 3,543

$509 TTD 3,429

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 TTD 2,488

$391 TTD 2,634

-5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 TTD 7,055

$891 TTD 6,007

17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 TTD 5,995

$745 TTD 5,025

19.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,187 TTD 8,000

$1,028 TTD 6,928

15.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

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

Last update for Arima: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Arima versus $509 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 15% higher in Arima. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Arima versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Arima vs $317 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,886 per month in Arima and $1,879 in San Fernando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Arima – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Arima and $59.0 in San Fernando. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Arima at $1,258. In San Fernando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando – 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 San Fernando. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.