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 $1,147 per month in Arima vs $1,198 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Arima vs $1,963 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Arima vs $2,727 in San Fernando, rent included.

Arima is about 4% cheaper than San Fernando, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Arima and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Arima 15% lower, San Fernando 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 TTD 58.6

$10.19 TTD 68.9

-14.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 TTD 491

$59.3 TTD 401

22.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.5

$7.36 TTD 49.77

1.36%

Cappuccino

$2.44 TTD 16.49

$3.55 TTD 24.03

-31.27%

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

$0.97 TTD 6.55

$1.06 TTD 7.15

-8.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$0.75 TTD 5.06

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 TTD 11.20

$1.89 TTD 12.77

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 TTD 19.78

$2.46 TTD 16.63

18.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.70

$2.07 TTD 14.01

12.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.47

$2.34 TTD 15.81

-2.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 TTD 16.09

$2.63 TTD 17.77

-9.51%

Eggs

$4.27 TTD 28.86

$3.77 TTD 25.47

13.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 TTD 42.16

$7.96 TTD 53.8

-21.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 TTD 40.67

$10.53 TTD 71.2

-42.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.28

$8.52 TTD 57.6

-49.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.95

$5.96 TTD 40.27

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.23

$2.58 TTD 17.48

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.28

$4.32 TTD 29.23

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 TTD 30.79

$4.74 TTD 32.05

-4.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 TTD 6.98

$1.23 TTD 8.30

-16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 TTD 5.49

$0.73 TTD 4.92

10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 TTD 10.30

$1.46 TTD 9.84

4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.19

$1.21 TTD 8.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 TTD 28.79

$5.69 TTD 38.45

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 TTD 125

$17.94 TTD 121

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 TTD 13.18

$1.54 TTD 10.41

26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 19.14

$2.82 TTD 19.06

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.42 TTD 2.86

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.75 TTD 296

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 TTD 6.71

$0.86 TTD 5.79

15.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.78

$0.91 TTD 6.16

-21.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.60 TTD 98.7

$14.70 TTD 99.4

-0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 TTD 6.44

$1.03 TTD 6.98

-7.77%

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

$26.9K TTD 181.6K

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

-20.42%

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

$27.0K TTD 182.4K

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

-29.78%

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

$78.5 TTD 531

$44.62 TTD 302

75.97%

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

$44.44 TTD 300

$41.80 TTD 283

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 TTD 425

$45.79 TTD 310

37.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.11 TTD 319

$45.66 TTD 309

3.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 TTD 60.5

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 TTD 35.23

$9.01 TTD 60.9

-42.18%

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

$133 TTD 897

$324 TTD 2,190

-59.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,146 TTD 48.3K

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

216.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TTD 346

$44.69 TTD 302

14.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.10 TTD 176

$36.57 TTD 247

-28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 857

$89.0 TTD 602

42.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 TTD 491

$87.7 TTD 593

-17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,259

$550 TTD 3,720

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 TTD 2,366

$341 TTD 2,302

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 TTD 5,774

$952 TTD 6,436

-10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 TTD 4,890

$697 TTD 4,714

3.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 TTD 8,011

$1,031 TTD 6,971

14.91%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Arima versus $550 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, 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 – $293 in Arima vs $333 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 4% 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 $1,721 per month in Arima and $1,797 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 $1,147 in Arima and $1,198 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Arima and $324 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 $1,147, than in San Fernando at $1,198. 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.