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: $940 in Arouca versus $918 in St.James.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,641 in Arouca versus $1,641 in St.James.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,341 in Arouca versus $2,363 in St.James.

Living in Arouca is roughly 2% more expensive than St.James, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 TTD 70.6

$10.22 TTD 69.0

2.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 TTD 600

$89.3 TTD 603

-0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 TTD 48.44

$7.40 TTD 50.0

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$3.72 TTD 25.15

$3.63 TTD 24.51

2.48%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.40

$1.05 TTD 7.08

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.25

$0.76 TTD 5.14

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.17

$1.90 TTD 12.82

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 TTD 20.84

$3.06 TTD 20.70

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.13

$2.77 TTD 18.68

-3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 TTD 18.40

$2.74 TTD 18.49

-0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.65

$2.60 TTD 17.55

0.38%

Eggs

$4.93 TTD 33.28

$4.97 TTD 33.58

-0.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 TTD 52.4

$7.89 TTD 53.3

-1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 TTD 71.7

$10.28 TTD 69.4

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 TTD 95.9

$14.53 TTD 98.2

-2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 TTD 38.54

$5.85 TTD 39.50

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 TTD 16.86

$2.53 TTD 17.09

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 TTD 28.36

$4.19 TTD 28.32

0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.44

$4.63 TTD 31.25

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 10.02

$1.42 TTD 9.57

4.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TTD 11.32

$1.64 TTD 11.09

2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TTD 13.31

$1.96 TTD 13.24

0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.87

$1.40 TTD 9.43

4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 TTD 40.28

$6.02 TTD 40.65

-1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 TTD 127

$19.41 TTD 131

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.98

$2.18 TTD 14.73

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 19.00

$2.76 TTD 18.64

1.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.12

$1.05 TTD 7.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.35

$1.27 TTD 8.60

-2.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.76 TTD 99.7

$14.62 TTD 98.7

0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.48

$1.09 TTD 7.38

1.83%

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

$33.6K TTD 226.8K

$33.9K TTD 228.7K

-0.85%

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

$37.6K TTD 253.9K

$39.0K TTD 263.2K

-3.53%

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

$80.9 TTD 547

$81.5 TTD 551

-0.75%

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

$47.10 TTD 318

$46.57 TTD 315

1.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 TTD 412

$61.2 TTD 414

-0.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.77 TTD 66.0

$10.10 TTD 68.2

-3.27%

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

$333 TTD 2,252

$334 TTD 2,255

-0.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,164 TTD 48.4K

$7,163 TTD 48.4K

0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 TTD 399

$60.3 TTD 407

-1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.21 TTD 265

$37.76 TTD 255

3.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 979

$145 TTD 982

-0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 875

$126 TTD 849

2.99%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for St.James: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Arouca vs $89.0 in St.James for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $376 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 2% in total monthly costs ($940 vs $918 including rent). St.James is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,410 in Arouca and $1,377 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 $333 in Arouca versus $334 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 $89.0 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 2% less than in Arouca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.