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 $1,184 per month in Arima vs $1,334 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Arima vs $2,070 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,653 per month in Arima vs $2,807 in San Juan, rent included.

Arima is about 11% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arima sits 12% below the global median, while San Juan is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 TTD 60.0

$7.55 TTD 50.6

18.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 TTD 486

$59.2 TTD 397

22.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 TTD 49.03

$7.28 TTD 48.77

0.55%

Cappuccino

$2.42 TTD 16.24

$3.67 TTD 24.61

-34.06%

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

$0.96 TTD 6.46

$1.08 TTD 7.24

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.73

$0.71 TTD 4.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 TTD 10.99

$1.81 TTD 12.13

-9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TTD 19.38

$2.97 TTD 19.90

-2.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.55

$2.73 TTD 18.27

-15.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.17

$2.68 TTD 17.95

-15.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 TTD 15.09

$2.69 TTD 17.99

-16.36%

Eggs

$4.24 TTD 28.37

$5.14 TTD 34.42

-17.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.58

$8.12 TTD 54.4

-27.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 TTD 38.97

$10.52 TTD 70.5

-44.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 TTD 29.54

$14.07 TTD 94.3

-68.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.00

$5.66 TTD 37.91

5.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 TTD 13.63

$2.51 TTD 16.82

-19.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.53

$4.26 TTD 28.52

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 TTD 29.78

$4.70 TTD 31.48

-5.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 TTD 6.97

$1.43 TTD 9.55

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 TTD 5.27

$1.68 TTD 11.24

-52.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.09

$1.88 TTD 12.60

-19.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.06

$1.40 TTD 9.40

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 TTD 28.97

$6.00 TTD 40.23

-28.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 TTD 124

$18.56 TTD 124

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 TTD 13.14

$2.19 TTD 14.65

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.21

$2.69 TTD 18.03

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 TTD 6.58

$1.01 TTD 6.79

-2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.76

$1.23 TTD 8.26

-42.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 TTD 100

$14.85 TTD 99.5

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 TTD 6.20

$1.10 TTD 7.36

-15.45%

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

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

-22.47%

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

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

-28.56%

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

$81.4 TTD 545

$81.1 TTD 543

0.42%

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

$44.96 TTD 301

$47.47 TTD 318

-5.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 411

$61.1 TTD 409

0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 TTD 327

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 TTD 34.23

$9.90 TTD 66.3

-48.38%

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

$133 TTD 888

$324 TTD 2,172

-59.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

-1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 TTD 351

$58.8 TTD 394

-10.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.74 TTD 179

$38.82 TTD 260

-31.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 848

$149 TTD 997

-14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 TTD 504

$127 TTD 852

-40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,183

$737 TTD 4,937

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,376

$452 TTD 3,026

-21.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 TTD 5,736

$1,052 TTD 7,051

-18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 TTD 4,828

$744 TTD 4,988

-3.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 TTD 7,926

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for San Juan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $737 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 $59.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Arima vs $374 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 13% 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 $1,777 per month in Arima and $2,001 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 $1,184 in Arima and $1,334 in San Juan. 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 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 $1,184, than in San Juan at $1,334. 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.