Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Tunapuna Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Tunapuna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Arima vs $1,211 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,901 per month in Arima vs $1,958 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Arima vs $2,706 in Tunapuna, rent included.

Arima is about 4% cheaper than Tunapuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Tunapuna are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Tunapuna 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 TTD 58.8

$5.92 TTD 40.22

46.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 TTD 494

$73.1 TTD 496

-0.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 TTD 49.59

$6.67 TTD 45.30

9.45%

Cappuccino

$2.31 TTD 15.67

$2.95 TTD 20.00

-21.69%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.39

$0.50 TTD 3.37

88.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.11

$0.42 TTD 2.84

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 TTD 11.19

$1.45 TTD 9.81

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 20.26

$2.87 TTD 19.52

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 TTD 15.24

$2.11 TTD 14.35

6.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 16.11

$2.82 TTD 19.15

-15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.63

$2.57 TTD 17.46

-10.51%

Eggs

$4.22 TTD 28.63

$5.15 TTD 34.95

-18.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 TTD 42.16

$7.91 TTD 53.7

-21.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.83

$10.43 TTD 70.8

-45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.86

$14.31 TTD 97.2

-70.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 40.10

$5.66 TTD 38.45

4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.33

$2.63 TTD 17.84

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 TTD 29.99

$4.29 TTD 29.14

3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 TTD 30.47

$4.60 TTD 31.23

-2.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.77

$1.43 TTD 9.73

-30.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TTD 5.31

$1.71 TTD 11.61

-54.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.80

$1.95 TTD 13.21

-26.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.17

$1.04 TTD 7.08

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 TTD 28.48

$5.10 TTD 34.60

-17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 TTD 133

$19.33 TTD 131

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 TTD 12.90

$1.44 TTD 9.78

31.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.52

$2.71 TTD 18.38

0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 TTD 6.42

$1.01 TTD 6.84

-5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.92

$1.24 TTD 8.39

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 TTD 99.9

$15.06 TTD 102

-2.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 TTD 6.28

$1.06 TTD 7.20

-13.21%

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

$27.0K TTD 183.2K

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

-21.16%

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

$27.3K TTD 185.2K

$38.9K TTD 264.2K

-29.91%

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

$79.5 TTD 540

$81.2 TTD 551

-2.06%

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

$44.40 TTD 301

$47.13 TTD 320

-5.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 427

$61.2 TTD 416

2.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 TTD 329

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TTD 34.63

$10.04 TTD 68.2

-49.20%

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

$131 TTD 889

$332 TTD 2,256

-60.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,130 TTD 48.4K

$7,101 TTD 48.2K

0.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 351

$58.4 TTD 397

-11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.67 TTD 181

$37.99 TTD 258

-29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 TTD 858

$146 TTD 993

-13.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 TTD 508

$59.2 TTD 402

26.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,222

$448 TTD 3,039

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,457

$377 TTD 2,561

-4.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 TTD 5,748

$1,037 TTD 7,044

-18.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 TTD 4,788

$702 TTD 4,766

0.48%

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 Tunapuna: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $448 in Tunapuna. 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 $73.0 in Tunapuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $363 – 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 Tunapuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunapuna costs about 4% 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 $1,744 per month in Arima and $1,816 in Tunapuna. 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 $1,162 in Arima and $1,211 in Tunapuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $332 in Tunapuna. 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 $1,162, than in Tunapuna at $1,211. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunapuna 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, Tunapuna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.