Cost of Living Comparison Between Arouca and St.James Cost of Living Comparison Between Arouca and St.James

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $939 in Arouca versus $914 in St.James.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in Arouca versus $1,615 in St.James.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,272 in Arouca versus $2,317 in St.James.

Living in Arouca is roughly 3% more expensive than in St.James, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arouca 29% lower, St.James 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.55 TTD 70.8

$10.37 TTD 69.7

1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 TTD 588

$89.0 TTD 598

-1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 TTD 48.25

$7.52 TTD 50.5

-4.39%

Cappuccino

$3.81 TTD 25.57

$3.64 TTD 24.41

4.67%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.08

$1.05 TTD 7.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.54

$0.78 TTD 5.26

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.26

$1.81 TTD 12.13

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 TTD 20.23

$3.17 TTD 21.30

-5.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 TTD 17.83

$2.69 TTD 18.06

-1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 TTD 18.08

$2.81 TTD 18.85

-4.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 TTD 18.10

$2.62 TTD 17.59

3.05%

Eggs

$4.90 TTD 32.88

$5.04 TTD 33.86

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.01 TTD 53.8

$8.02 TTD 53.8

-0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 TTD 69.1

$10.23 TTD 68.7

0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 TTD 96.3

$14.14 TTD 95.0

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 TTD 39.85

$5.94 TTD 39.87

-0.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 TTD 17.42

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.11

$4.43 TTD 29.76

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 TTD 31.20

$4.80 TTD 32.26

-3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.64

$1.44 TTD 9.64

-0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.10

$1.72 TTD 11.57

-4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.61

$1.91 TTD 12.82

-1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.38

$1.40 TTD 9.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.76

$5.85 TTD 39.31

-1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.75 TTD 119

$19.42 TTD 130

-8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.78

$2.20 TTD 14.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 18.99

$2.72 TTD 18.28

4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$1.02 TTD 6.84

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 TTD 8.21

$1.28 TTD 8.63

-4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 TTD 98.8

$15.00 TTD 101

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.67

$1.09 TTD 7.32

4.59%

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

$33.5K TTD 224.9K

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

-1.51%

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

$39.0K TTD 262.0K

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

1.00%

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

$78.6 TTD 528

$79.3 TTD 532

-0.87%

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

$47.37 TTD 318

$46.15 TTD 310

2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 TTD 409

$62.4 TTD 419

-2.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 TTD 66.4

$10.11 TTD 67.9

-2.18%

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

$323 TTD 2,171

$325 TTD 2,184

-0.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,351 TTD 49.4K

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 TTD 399

$58.9 TTD 395

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.61 TTD 259

$37.85 TTD 254

2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 971

$144 TTD 965

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 844

$129 TTD 867

-2.62%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for St.James: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $88.0 in Arouca vs $89.0 in St.James for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $378 per month, with Arouca 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 St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arouca and St.James differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($939 vs $914 including rent). St.James is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,408 in Arouca and $1,370 in St.James 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 $323 in Arouca versus $325 in St.James. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in St.James – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $88.0 in Arouca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though St.James gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 St.James gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Arouca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.