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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Arima vs $1,239 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Arima vs $1,986 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Arima vs $2,732 in Tunapuna, rent included.

Arima is about 7% cheaper than Tunapuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Tunapuna are more affordable than the global median – Arima 15% lower, Tunapuna 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 TTD 58.6

$5.89 TTD 39.82

47.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 TTD 491

$72.7 TTD 492

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.5

$6.53 TTD 44.15

14.24%

Cappuccino

$2.44 TTD 16.49

$3.01 TTD 20.33

-18.94%

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

$0.97 TTD 6.55

$0.54 TTD 3.68

79.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$0.45 TTD 3.05

71.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 TTD 11.20

$1.51 TTD 10.22

9.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 TTD 19.78

$3.00 TTD 20.31

-2.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.70

$2.10 TTD 14.22

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.47

$2.69 TTD 18.18

-14.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 TTD 16.09

$2.65 TTD 17.92

-10.19%

Eggs

$4.27 TTD 28.86

$4.94 TTD 33.43

-13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 TTD 42.16

$7.98 TTD 54.0

-21.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 TTD 40.67

$10.46 TTD 70.7

-42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.28

$14.21 TTD 96.0

-69.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.95

$5.77 TTD 39.01

2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.23

$2.57 TTD 17.40

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.28

$4.44 TTD 30.00

-5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 TTD 30.79

$4.70 TTD 31.75

-3.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 TTD 6.98

$1.47 TTD 9.96

-29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 TTD 5.49

$1.73 TTD 11.68

-53.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 TTD 10.30

$1.90 TTD 12.87

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.19

$1.01 TTD 6.85

19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 TTD 28.79

$5.02 TTD 33.95

-15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 TTD 125

$18.81 TTD 127

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 TTD 13.18

$1.50 TTD 10.15

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 19.14

$2.74 TTD 18.55

3.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 TTD 6.71

$1.06 TTD 7.16

-6.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.78

$1.21 TTD 8.21

-41.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.60 TTD 98.7

$14.95 TTD 101

-2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 TTD 6.44

$1.01 TTD 6.81

-5.94%

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

$26.9K TTD 181.6K

$33.4K TTD 225.8K

-19.56%

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

$27.0K TTD 182.4K

$38.6K TTD 260.7K

-30.03%

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

$78.5 TTD 531

$80.0 TTD 541

-1.87%

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

$44.44 TTD 300

$47.46 TTD 321

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 TTD 425

$61.6 TTD 416

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.11 TTD 319

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 TTD 35.23

$9.71 TTD 65.7

-46.34%

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

$133 TTD 897

$326 TTD 2,201

-59.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,146 TTD 48.3K

$7,083 TTD 47.9K

0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TTD 346

$59.3 TTD 401

-13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.10 TTD 176

$37.95 TTD 257

-31.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 857

$148 TTD 1,003

-14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 TTD 491

$58.3 TTD 394

24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,259

$440 TTD 2,973

9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 TTD 2,366

$389 TTD 2,630

-10.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 TTD 5,774

$1,051 TTD 7,105

-18.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 TTD 4,890

$714 TTD 4,827

1.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 TTD 8,011

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tunapuna: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Arima versus $440 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: $293 vs $361 – 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 8% 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 $1,721 per month in Arima and $1,859 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 $1,147 in Arima and $1,239 in Tunapuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Arima and $326 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 $1,147, than in Tunapuna at $1,239. 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.