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: $1,408 in Diego Martin versus $939 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,356 in Diego Martin versus $1,605 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Diego Martin versus $2,272 in Arouca.

Living in Diego Martin is roughly 50% more expensive than in Arouca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Diego Martin is 6% above, Arouca is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 TTD 34.23

$10.55 TTD 70.8

-51.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 TTD 491

$87.5 TTD 588

-16.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 TTD 45.05

$7.19 TTD 48.25

-6.68%

Cappuccino

$3.75 TTD 25.17

$3.81 TTD 25.57

-1.57%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.35

$1.05 TTD 7.08

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 TTD 3.84

$0.82 TTD 5.54

-30.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.07

$1.83 TTD 12.26

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 TTD 21.23

$3.01 TTD 20.23

4.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 17.96

$2.66 TTD 17.83

0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TTD 14.00

$2.69 TTD 18.08

-22.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 TTD 18.18

$2.70 TTD 18.10

0.37%

Eggs

$4.38 TTD 29.40

$4.90 TTD 32.88

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.4

$8.01 TTD 53.8

1.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 TTD 69.6

$10.29 TTD 69.1

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 TTD 95.3

$14.33 TTD 96.3

-0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 TTD 38.17

$5.93 TTD 39.85

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 TTD 16.89

$2.59 TTD 17.42

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.32

$4.33 TTD 29.11

0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 TTD 32.42

$4.65 TTD 31.20

3.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.00

$1.43 TTD 9.64

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.10

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$1.88 TTD 12.61

1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.41

$1.40 TTD 9.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 TTD 39.24

$5.77 TTD 38.76

1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.01 TTD 121

$17.75 TTD 119

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.22

$2.20 TTD 14.78

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.15

$2.83 TTD 18.99

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 TTD 5.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 TTD 495

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.12

$1.01 TTD 6.79

4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.02

$1.22 TTD 8.21

-26.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.65 TTD 98.4

$14.71 TTD 98.8

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 TTD 7.23

$1.14 TTD 7.67

-5.26%

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

$14.9K TTD 99.9K

$33.5K TTD 224.9K

-55.57%

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

$38.9K TTD 261.4K

$39.0K TTD 262.0K

-0.23%

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

$80.0 TTD 537

$78.6 TTD 528

1.81%

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

$45.92 TTD 308

$47.37 TTD 318

-3.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 TTD 418

$60.9 TTD 409

2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 TTD 298

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 TTD 48.31

$9.89 TTD 66.4

-27.30%

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

$330 TTD 2,218

$323 TTD 2,171

2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,260 TTD 48.8K

$7,351 TTD 49.4K

-1.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 TTD 398

$59.4 TTD 399

-0.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 TTD 256

$38.61 TTD 259

-1.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 983

$145 TTD 971

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 865

$126 TTD 844

2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 TTD 4,464

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,006

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 TTD 9,648

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 TTD 6,402

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 TTD 11.8K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Arouca: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $73.0 in Diego Martin vs $88.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $372 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $939 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,111 in Diego Martin and $1,408 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 $330 in Diego Martin versus $323 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 $73.0 in Diego Martin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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 50% less than in Diego Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.