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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Arima vs $984 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,162 per month in Arima vs $1,736 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,061 per month in Arima vs $2,488 in Tunapuna, rent included.

Arima costs about 28% more than Tunapuna, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Arima and Tunapuna are more affordable than the global median – Arima 8% lower, Tunapuna 28% 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

$74.4 TTD 500

-1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 TTD 59.8

$8.05 TTD 54.2

10.31%

Cappuccino

$3.77 TTD 25.36

$3.76 TTD 25.29

0.27%

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

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$1.00 TTD 6.70

1.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

$0.77 TTD 5.16

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.10

$1.80 TTD 12.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 TTD 19.65

$2.90 TTD 19.50

0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 TTD 16.08

$2.08 TTD 13.97

14.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 TTD 16.23

$2.26 TTD 15.21

6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 TTD 19.09

$2.89 TTD 19.42

-1.73%

Eggs

$4.39 TTD 29.53

$3.82 TTD 25.67

14.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 TTD 45.06

$6.77 TTD 45.53

-1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 TTD 42.90

$10.19 TTD 68.6

-37.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 TTD 60.5

$8.95 TTD 60.2

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 TTD 37.20

$5.57 TTD 37.46

-0.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.47

$2.46 TTD 16.56

-6.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 TTD 24.45

$3.62 TTD 24.33

0.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 TTD 33.33

$4.19 TTD 28.17

18.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 TTD 8.94

$0.71 TTD 4.80

87.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.76

$0.71 TTD 4.75

40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 TTD 9.42

$1.45 TTD 9.75

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TTD 6.13

$1.16 TTD 7.83

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 TTD 32.43

$5.23 TTD 35.21

-7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 TTD 130

$19.07 TTD 128

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 TTD 12.38

$1.56 TTD 10.48

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 TTD 19.93

$3.05 TTD 20.53

-2.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.11

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 TTD 5.22

$0.90 TTD 6.07

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 TTD 5.06

$0.87 TTD 5.83

-13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.90 TTD 100

$14.53 TTD 97.8

2.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 TTD 7.54

$1.12 TTD 7.57

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

$27.2K TTD 183.3K

$37.3K TTD 251.1K

-27.00%

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

$36.1K TTD 243.1K

$41.0K TTD 275.6K

-11.77%

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

$91.8 TTD 617

$44.82 TTD 302

104.71%

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

$44.02 TTD 296

$42.35 TTD 285

3.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 TTD 373

$44.63 TTD 300

24.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 353

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 TTD 59.7

$8.67 TTD 58.3

2.42%

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

$179 TTD 1,205

$402 TTD 2,707

-55.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K TTD 73.2K

$10.8K TTD 72.5K

1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 TTD 429

$55.1 TTD 371

15.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 TTD 293

$36.82 TTD 248

18.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 991

$88.9 TTD 598

65.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 TTD 501

$59.4 TTD 400

25.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 TTD 3,476

$280 TTD 1,886

84.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 TTD 2,463

$240 TTD 1,615

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 TTD 7,023

$675 TTD 4,542

54.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 TTD 5,891

$590 TTD 3,969

48.42%

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 Tunapuna: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $517 in Arima versus $280 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 $74.0 in Tunapuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $322 – 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

Arima costs about 28% more than Tunapuna, 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 $1,475 in Tunapuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunapuna, 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 $1,262 in Arima and $984 in Tunapuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Arima and $402 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 Tunapuna, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Arima at $1,262. In Tunapuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunapuna – 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 Tunapuna. 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.