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: $1,365 in Diego Martin versus $767 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,283 in Diego Martin versus $1,304 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,202 in Diego Martin versus $1,841 in Arouca.

Living in Diego Martin is roughly 78% more expensive than in Arouca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Diego Martin is 0% above, Arouca is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.7

$10.15 TTD 68.3

0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.2 TTD 587

$58.5 TTD 394

49.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$8.04 TTD 54.1

12.31%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.58

$3.75 TTD 25.24

1.33%

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

$1.23 TTD 8.29

$1.00 TTD 6.75

23.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.16

$0.71 TTD 4.79

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 TTD 15.06

$1.79 TTD 12.04

25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.39

$2.61 TTD 17.53

10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 TTD 15.99

$2.04 TTD 13.71

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 TTD 14.99

$2.32 TTD 15.60

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 TTD 19.60

$2.93 TTD 19.73

-0.68%

Eggs

$4.29 TTD 28.84

$3.88 TTD 26.10

10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 TTD 44.42

$6.73 TTD 45.27

-1.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 TTD 68.6

$10.00 TTD 67.3

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.6

$8.73 TTD 58.8

-0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 TTD 37.21

$5.36 TTD 36.08

3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.70

$2.48 TTD 16.68

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 TTD 24.66

$3.72 TTD 25.04

-1.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.64

$4.16 TTD 28.01

2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 TTD 4.89

$0.75 TTD 5.06

-2.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.87

$0.71 TTD 4.77

1.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.02

$1.45 TTD 9.73

2.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TTD 7.70

$1.20 TTD 8.10

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 TTD 38.14

$5.45 TTD 36.66

4.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.92 TTD 121

$17.93 TTD 121

-0.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 TTD 10.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 TTD 20.70

$2.94 TTD 19.76

4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 TTD 6.14

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 TTD 504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.72

$0.92 TTD 6.18

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 TTD 6.21

$0.85 TTD 5.71

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 101

$14.85 TTD 99.9

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.48

$1.13 TTD 7.59

-1.77%

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

$14.4K TTD 97.2K

$37.4K TTD 251.4K

-61.35%

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

$41.9K TTD 282.0K

$41.1K TTD 276.8K

1.87%

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

$44.77 TTD 301

$43.85 TTD 295

2.10%

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

$42.81 TTD 288

$42.83 TTD 288

-0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.22 TTD 304

$44.76 TTD 301

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 TTD 300

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 TTD 59.3

$8.76 TTD 58.9

0.57%

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

$391 TTD 2,633

$394 TTD 2,654

-0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 73.8K

$10.7K TTD 71.7K

2.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 TTD 364

$53.6 TTD 360

1.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.45 TTD 245

$36.24 TTD 244

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 TTD 597

$89.8 TTD 604

-1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 TTD 599

$89.1 TTD 600

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 TTD 4,420

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 TTD 2,970

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 TTD 9,700

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$952 TTD 6,403

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,781 TTD 12.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

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

Last update for Diego Martin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Arouca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $87.0 in Diego Martin vs $58.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $318 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

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

Diego Martin and Arouca differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,365 vs $767 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,047 in Diego Martin and $1,151 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 $391 in Diego Martin versus $394 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 $58.0 versus $87.0 in Diego Martin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $767 in Arouca versus $1,365 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 78% less than in Diego Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.