Cost of Living Comparison Between Arouca and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Arouca and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $944 in Arouca versus $1,332 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Arouca versus $2,095 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,334 in Arouca versus $2,859 in San Juan.

Living in Arouca costs roughly 29% less than in San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arouca 30% lower, San Juan 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.33 TTD 70.2

$7.42 TTD 50.4

39.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 TTD 593

$59.5 TTD 404

46.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 TTD 51.0

$7.29 TTD 49.49

3.02%

Cappuccino

$3.81 TTD 25.85

$3.72 TTD 25.29

2.42%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.40

$1.10 TTD 7.46

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.20

$0.71 TTD 4.80

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 TTD 12.76

$1.88 TTD 12.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 TTD 20.79

$2.99 TTD 20.32

2.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.59

$2.64 TTD 17.95

3.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 TTD 18.19

$2.73 TTD 18.56

-1.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 TTD 18.44

$2.59 TTD 17.58

5.02%

Eggs

$4.97 TTD 33.73

$4.89 TTD 33.22

1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 TTD 53.0

$8.16 TTD 55.4

-4.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 TTD 69.8

$10.49 TTD 71.2

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 TTD 97.3

$14.27 TTD 96.9

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 TTD 38.69

$5.75 TTD 39.05

-0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.70

$2.51 TTD 17.07

3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.76

$4.25 TTD 28.84

-0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 TTD 31.29

$4.82 TTD 32.74

-4.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.71

$1.49 TTD 10.13

-4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.69

$1.64 TTD 11.14

4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.28

$1.95 TTD 13.21

0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.53

$1.47 TTD 9.98

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.01 TTD 40.83

$6.08 TTD 41.30

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 TTD 131

$19.36 TTD 131

-0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 TTD 14.24

$2.19 TTD 14.85

-4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.15

$2.75 TTD 18.65

2.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 TTD 7.07

$1.00 TTD 6.80

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.73

$1.23 TTD 8.36

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.76 TTD 100

$14.72 TTD 99.9

0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.71

$1.09 TTD 7.41

4.59%

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

$33.5K TTD 227.5K

$33.4K TTD 226.5K

0.40%

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

$38.3K TTD 260.3K

$38.2K TTD 259.2K

0.44%

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

$81.2 TTD 551

$79.8 TTD 542

1.69%

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

$46.48 TTD 316

$46.97 TTD 319

-1.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 428

$62.7 TTD 426

0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 TTD 69.4

$9.97 TTD 67.7

2.51%

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

$321 TTD 2,181

$323 TTD 2,191

-0.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,238 TTD 49.1K

$7,306 TTD 49.6K

-0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 TTD 397

$59.0 TTD 401

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 TTD 257

$37.93 TTD 258

-0.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,006

$146 TTD 989

1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 871

$129 TTD 876

-0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 TTD 5,119

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,042

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 TTD 7,134

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 TTD 5,112

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arouca: April 26, 2026

Last update for San Juan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $87.0 in Arouca vs $60.0 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $377, with Arouca cheaper for home cooking.

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 San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arouca and San Juan differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($944 vs $1,332 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,416 in Arouca and $1,998 in San Juan 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.

Childcare runs $321 in Arouca versus $323 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arouca – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $60.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Arouca versus $1,332 in San Juan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arouca but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Arouca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.