Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Arouca Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Arouca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,420 in Diego Martin versus $943 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,396 in Diego Martin versus $1,638 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,372 in Diego Martin versus $2,333 in Arouca.

Living in Diego Martin is roughly 51% more expensive than Arouca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Diego Martin is 6% above, Arouca is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 TTD 35.52

$10.41 TTD 70.4

-49.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 TTD 501

$87.8 TTD 593

-15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 TTD 45.61

$7.49 TTD 50.7

-9.88%

Cappuccino

$3.61 TTD 24.39

$3.64 TTD 24.64

-0.82%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.45

$1.09 TTD 7.37

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 TTD 3.87

$0.77 TTD 5.18

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.80

$1.82 TTD 12.31

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 TTD 20.33

$3.08 TTD 20.84

-2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 TTD 18.78

$2.63 TTD 17.80

5.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 TTD 14.38

$2.80 TTD 18.93

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.40

$2.70 TTD 18.28

-4.81%

Eggs

$4.51 TTD 30.48

$4.99 TTD 33.75

-9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 TTD 52.4

$7.74 TTD 52.4

0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 TTD 70.5

$10.34 TTD 69.9

0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 TTD 98.1

$14.10 TTD 95.4

2.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 TTD 39.62

$5.92 TTD 40.00

-1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.10

$2.58 TTD 17.47

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.68

$4.29 TTD 29.00

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 TTD 31.16

$4.77 TTD 32.24

-3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.16

$1.43 TTD 9.67

4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 TTD 11.51

$1.66 TTD 11.23

2.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.08

$1.90 TTD 12.83

2.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.87

$1.39 TTD 9.40

5.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 TTD 39.63

$5.90 TTD 39.87

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 TTD 125

$18.66 TTD 126

-1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 TTD 14.51

$2.20 TTD 14.90

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.05

$2.81 TTD 19.02

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 TTD 5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 TTD 502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.83

$1.06 TTD 7.15

-4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 TTD 6.15

$1.28 TTD 8.65

-28.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.9

$14.95 TTD 101

-2.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 TTD 7.29

$1.13 TTD 7.66

-4.42%

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

$14.5K TTD 98.1K

$34.1K TTD 230.2K

-57.41%

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

$38.3K TTD 258.7K

$37.9K TTD 256.5K

0.83%

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

$78.8 TTD 533

$80.6 TTD 545

-2.20%

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

$46.94 TTD 317

$47.29 TTD 320

-0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 424

$60.8 TTD 411

3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 TTD 299

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 TTD 51.3

$10.15 TTD 68.6

-25.22%

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

$334 TTD 2,256

$330 TTD 2,233

1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,115 TTD 48.1K

$7,290 TTD 49.3K

-2.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 TTD 405

$58.5 TTD 396

2.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 TTD 264

$38.73 TTD 262

0.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,002

$148 TTD 999

0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 882

$128 TTD 862

2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 TTD 4,548

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,029

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 TTD 9,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 TTD 6,462

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,799 TTD 12.2K

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 Diego Martin: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arouca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $74.0 in Diego Martin vs $88.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $374 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

Diego Martin vs Arouca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin and Arouca differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,420 vs $943 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,131 in Diego Martin and $1,414 in Arouca 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 $334 in Diego Martin versus $330 in Arouca. 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 $88.0 versus $74.0 in Diego Martin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $943 in Arouca versus $1,420 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.

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.

Safety-wise, Diego Martin and Arouca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Diego Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.