Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and St.James Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and St.James

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Arima vs $925 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,162 per month in Arima vs $1,586 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,061 per month in Arima vs $2,247 in St.James, rent included.

Arima costs about 36% more than St.James, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Arima and St.James are more affordable than the global median – Arima 8% lower, St.James 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 TTD 68.1

$10.49 TTD 70.6

-3.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 TTD 492

$87.5 TTD 589

-16.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 TTD 59.8

$9.07 TTD 61.0

-2.09%

Cappuccino

$3.77 TTD 25.36

$3.69 TTD 24.83

2.17%

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

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$1.00 TTD 6.75

1.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.10

$2.27 TTD 15.27

-20.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 TTD 19.65

$3.60 TTD 24.21

-18.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 TTD 16.08

$2.51 TTD 16.90

-4.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 TTD 16.23

$2.48 TTD 16.67

-2.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 TTD 19.09

$2.85 TTD 19.17

-0.35%

Eggs

$4.39 TTD 29.53

$4.30 TTD 28.92

2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 TTD 45.06

$6.50 TTD 43.73

3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 TTD 42.90

$9.97 TTD 67.1

-36.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 TTD 60.5

$11.64 TTD 78.3

-22.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 TTD 37.20

$5.60 TTD 37.69

-1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.47

$3.12 TTD 20.99

-26.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 TTD 24.45

$3.72 TTD 25.01

-2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 TTD 33.33

$4.17 TTD 28.04

18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 TTD 8.94

$2.21 TTD 14.88

-39.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.76

$1.93 TTD 13.00

-48.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 TTD 9.42

$1.84 TTD 12.37

-23.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TTD 6.13

$1.34 TTD 9.01

-32.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 TTD 32.43

$6.02 TTD 40.50

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 TTD 130

$18.94 TTD 127

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 TTD 12.38

$2.21 TTD 14.88

-16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 TTD 19.93

$2.99 TTD 20.10

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.11

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 TTD 5.22

$1.05 TTD 7.07

-25.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 TTD 5.06

$1.24 TTD 8.34

-39.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.90 TTD 100

$14.61 TTD 98.3

1.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 TTD 7.54

$1.17 TTD 7.85

-4.27%

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

$27.2K TTD 183.3K

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

-27.32%

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

$36.1K TTD 243.1K

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

-10.52%

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

$91.8 TTD 617

$91.7 TTD 617

0.03%

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

$44.02 TTD 296

$52.6 TTD 354

-16.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 TTD 373

$56.1 TTD 377

-1.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 353

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 TTD 59.7

$8.90 TTD 59.9

-0.22%

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

$179 TTD 1,205

$404 TTD 2,716

-55.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K TTD 73.2K

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 TTD 429

$54.3 TTD 365

17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 TTD 293

$52.0 TTD 350

-16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 991

$146 TTD 985

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 TTD 501

$103 TTD 691

-27.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 TTD 3,476

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 TTD 2,463

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 TTD 7,023

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 TTD 5,891

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,188 TTD 7,994

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 12, 2026

Last update for St.James: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $88.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $354 – making Arima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arima costs about 36% more than St.James, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,893 per month in Arima and $1,387 in St.James. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,262 in Arima and $925 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Arima and $404 in St.James. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Arima at $1,262. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.James – 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 St.James. 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.