Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Tacarigua Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Tacarigua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Arima vs $1,159 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,901 per month in Arima vs $2,005 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Arima vs $2,851 in Tacarigua, rent included.

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

Both Arima and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Tacarigua 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 TTD 58.8

$10.30 TTD 70.0

-16.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 TTD 494

$88.8 TTD 603

-17.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 TTD 49.59

$6.78 TTD 46.01

7.67%

Cappuccino

$2.31 TTD 15.67

$3.03 TTD 20.58

-23.76%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.39

$1.01 TTD 6.84

-6.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.11

$0.72 TTD 4.90

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 TTD 11.19

$1.05 TTD 7.16

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 20.26

$3.13 TTD 21.26

-4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 TTD 15.24

$1.90 TTD 12.88

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 16.11

$1.67 TTD 11.35

41.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.63

$2.59 TTD 17.58

-11.20%

Eggs

$4.22 TTD 28.63

$3.60 TTD 24.42

17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 TTD 42.16

$3.59 TTD 24.37

72.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.83

$3.69 TTD 25.05

55.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.86

$14.51 TTD 98.5

-70.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 40.10

$5.66 TTD 38.42

4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.33

$1.67 TTD 11.33

17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 TTD 29.99

$4.43 TTD 30.10

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 TTD 30.47

$4.77 TTD 32.38

-5.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.77

$0.96 TTD 6.54

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TTD 5.31

$0.46 TTD 3.12

69.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.80

$1.52 TTD 10.29

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.17

$1.41 TTD 9.60

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 TTD 28.48

$6.07 TTD 41.19

-30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 TTD 133

$19.49 TTD 132

0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 TTD 12.90

$2.22 TTD 15.04

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.52

$2.78 TTD 18.90

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.43

$1.00 TTD 6.81

-20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 TTD 6.42

$1.02 TTD 6.91

-6.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.92

$1.27 TTD 8.60

-43.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 TTD 99.9

$14.83 TTD 101

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 TTD 6.28

$0.46 TTD 3.13

100.00%

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

$27.0K TTD 183.2K

$34.1K TTD 231.9K

-20.98%

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

$27.3K TTD 185.2K

$33.1K TTD 224.6K

-17.54%

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

$79.5 TTD 540

$81.6 TTD 554

-2.62%

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

$44.40 TTD 301

$45.92 TTD 312

-3.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 427

$36.90 TTD 251

70.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 TTD 329

$51.2 TTD 347

-5.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TTD 34.63

$7.20 TTD 48.90

-29.17%

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

$131 TTD 889

$325 TTD 2,207

-59.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,130 TTD 48.4K

$7,240 TTD 49.2K

-1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 351

$29.63 TTD 201

74.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.67 TTD 181

$30.02 TTD 204

-11.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 TTD 858

$75.3 TTD 511

67.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 TTD 508

$43.56 TTD 296

71.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,222

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,457

$375 TTD 2,548

-3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 TTD 5,748

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 TTD 4,788

$877 TTD 5,958

-19.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 8,077

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $89.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $296 – 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 Tacarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,744 per month in Arima and $1,739 in Tacarigua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $73.0 in Arima and $89.0 in Tacarigua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacarigua, where all-in costs run around $1,159, than in Arima at $1,162. In Tacarigua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacarigua – 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 Tacarigua. 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.