🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $939 in Arouca versus $1,408 in Diego Martin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in Arouca versus $2,356 in Diego Martin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,272 in Arouca versus $3,304 in Diego Martin.
🌍Living in Arouca costs roughly 33% less than in Diego Martin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Arouca is 29% below, Diego Martin is 6% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.55TTD 70.8
$5.10TTD 34.23
106.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.5TTD 588
$73.1TTD 491
19.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.19TTD 48.25
$6.71TTD 45.05
7.15%
Cappuccino
$3.81TTD 25.57
$3.75TTD 25.17
1.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05TTD 7.08
$1.09TTD 7.35
-3.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82TTD 5.54
$0.57TTD 3.84
43.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.83TTD 12.26
$1.80TTD 12.07
1.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01TTD 20.23
$3.16TTD 21.23
-4.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.66TTD 17.83
$2.68TTD 17.96
-0.75%
White Bread(500g)
$2.69TTD 18.08
$2.09TTD 14.00
28.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.70TTD 18.10
$2.71TTD 18.18
-0.37%
Eggs
$4.90TTD 32.88
$4.38TTD 29.40
11.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.01TTD 53.8
$8.09TTD 54.4
-0.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.29TTD 69.1
$10.37TTD 69.6
-0.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.33TTD 96.3
$14.19TTD 95.3
0.99%
Apples(1kg)
$5.93TTD 39.85
$5.68TTD 38.17
4.40%
Banana(1kg)
$2.59TTD 17.42
$2.52TTD 16.89
2.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.33TTD 29.11
$4.37TTD 29.32
-0.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.65TTD 31.20
$4.83TTD 32.42
-3.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.43TTD 9.64
$1.49TTD 10.00
-4.03%
Onion(1kg)
$1.65TTD 11.10
$1.65TTD 11.10
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.88TTD 12.61
$1.90TTD 12.78
-1.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40TTD 9.38
$1.40TTD 9.41
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77TTD 38.76
$5.84TTD 39.24
-1.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.75TTD 119
$18.01TTD 121
-1.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20TTD 14.78
$2.12TTD 14.22
3.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83TTD 18.99
$2.85TTD 19.15
-0.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.86TTD 5.78
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$73.8TTD 495
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.01TTD 6.79
$1.06TTD 7.12
-4.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.22TTD 8.21
$0.90TTD 6.02
35.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.71TTD 98.8
$14.65TTD 98.4
0.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14TTD 7.67
$1.08TTD 7.23
5.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5KTTD 224.9K
$14.9KTTD 99.9K
125.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0KTTD 262.0K
$38.9KTTD 261.4K
0.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$78.6TTD 528
$80.0TTD 537
-1.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.37TTD 318
$45.92TTD 308
3.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.9TTD 409
$62.3TTD 418
-2.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$44.33TTD 298
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.89TTD 66.4
$7.19TTD 48.31
37.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$323TTD 2,171
$330TTD 2,218
-2.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,351TTD 49.4K
$7,260TTD 48.8K
1.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.4TTD 399
$59.3TTD 398
0.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.61TTD 259
$38.17TTD 256
1.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$145TTD 971
$146TTD 983
-1.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126TTD 844
$129TTD 865
-2.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$665TTD 4,464
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$448TTD 3,006
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,437TTD 9,648
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$953TTD 6,402
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arouca
Diego Martin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,751TTD 11.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.38
5.38
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Arouca: July 27, 2026
Last update for Diego Martin: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $88.0 in Arouca vs $73.0 in Diego Martin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $364 per month, with Diego Martin cheaper across the board.
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
Arouca vs Diego Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Arouca and in Diego Martin?
Arouca and Diego Martin differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($939 vs $1,408 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Arouca compared to Diego Martin?
You'd need roughly $1,408 in Arouca and $2,111 in Diego Martin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Arouca and Diego Martin?
Childcare runs $323 in Arouca versus $330 in Diego Martin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Arouca – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $73.0 in Diego Martin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $939 in Arouca versus $1,408 in Diego Martin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arouca but tight or insufficient in Diego Martin. The gap between the two cities makes Arouca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Arouca and Diego Martin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Arouca or Diego Martin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Arouca and Diego Martin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Arouca or Diego Martin?
Expats usually find Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Diego Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.