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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Arima vs $1,355 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Arima vs $2,082 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Arima vs $2,810 in San Juan, rent included.

Arima is about 14% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arima sits 13% below the global median, while San Juan is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$7.25 TTD 48.85

24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 490

$58.2 TTD 392

25.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TTD 50.6

$7.57 TTD 51.0

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$2.39 TTD 16.12

$3.79 TTD 25.57

-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

$0.71 TTD 4.80

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.70

$1.90 TTD 12.78

-16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.51

$2.90 TTD 19.58

4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.31

$2.77 TTD 18.65

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 15.96

$2.84 TTD 19.12

-16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$2.71 TTD 18.29

-16.24%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.98

$5.10 TTD 34.39

-15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 TTD 42.12

$8.07 TTD 54.4

-22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TTD 39.27

$10.39 TTD 70.0

-43.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.17

$14.11 TTD 95.1

-69.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.18

$5.76 TTD 38.82

-1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 TTD 13.94

$2.58 TTD 17.37

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.45

$4.27 TTD 28.81

2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.48

$4.77 TTD 32.16

-8.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.48 TTD 9.95

-32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$1.66 TTD 11.20

-49.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$1.96 TTD 13.22

-25.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TTD 7.72

$1.40 TTD 9.46

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 TTD 28.92

$5.92 TTD 39.92

-27.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

$19.37 TTD 131

-0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 TTD 12.75

$2.12 TTD 14.32

-10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.95

$2.74 TTD 18.48

2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$1.05 TTD 7.09

-12.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.89

$1.26 TTD 8.51

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 98.7

$14.93 TTD 101

-1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 TTD 6.33

$1.13 TTD 7.62

-16.81%

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

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

$34.1K TTD 229.7K

-20.03%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

$38.5K TTD 259.7K

-28.24%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

$80.0 TTD 539

1.86%

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

$43.65 TTD 294

$47.34 TTD 319

-7.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 422

$61.0 TTD 411

2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 TTD 34.98

$10.11 TTD 68.1

-48.66%

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

$131 TTD 881

$327 TTD 2,203

-60.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

$7,343 TTD 49.5K

-3.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 TTD 345

$59.9 TTD 403

-14.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 TTD 182

$38.59 TTD 260

-30.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 859

$149 TTD 1,003

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 505

$126 TTD 852

-40.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 TTD 3,267

$744 TTD 5,013

-34.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,389

$440 TTD 2,966

-19.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 TTD 5,680

$1,035 TTD 6,976

-18.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 TTD 4,763

$753 TTD 5,078

-6.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

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 San Juan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Arima versus $744 in San Juan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $58.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Arima vs $378 in San Juan – 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 16% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,032 in San Juan. 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 $1,355 in San Juan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $327 in San Juan. 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 San Juan at $1,355. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan 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 Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.