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: $1,419 in Diego Martin versus $944 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,340 in Diego Martin versus $1,639 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Diego Martin versus $2,334 in Arouca.

Living in Diego Martin is roughly 50% 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

$5.29 TTD 35.95

$10.33 TTD 70.2

-48.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 TTD 497

$87.3 TTD 593

-16.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 TTD 46.26

$7.51 TTD 51.0

-9.32%

Cappuccino

$3.62 TTD 24.58

$3.81 TTD 25.85

-4.99%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.14

$1.09 TTD 7.40

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 TTD 3.83

$0.77 TTD 5.20

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 TTD 12.19

$1.88 TTD 12.76

-4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 TTD 21.24

$3.06 TTD 20.79

2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 TTD 18.73

$2.74 TTD 18.59

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 TTD 14.44

$2.68 TTD 18.19

-20.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.69

$2.72 TTD 18.44

-4.04%

Eggs

$4.41 TTD 29.91

$4.97 TTD 33.73

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 TTD 55.1

$7.81 TTD 53.0

3.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 TTD 70.5

$10.28 TTD 69.8

0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 TTD 95.7

$14.33 TTD 97.3

-1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.51

$5.70 TTD 38.69

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 TTD 16.98

$2.61 TTD 17.70

-4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.60

$4.24 TTD 28.76

2.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 TTD 31.55

$4.61 TTD 31.29

0.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.84

$1.43 TTD 9.71

1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.68

$1.72 TTD 11.69

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.79

$1.96 TTD 13.28

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.59

$1.40 TTD 9.53

0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 TTD 39.29

$6.01 TTD 40.83

-3.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.81 TTD 135

$19.29 TTD 131

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.89

$2.10 TTD 14.24

4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 TTD 19.02

$2.82 TTD 19.15

-0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 TTD 6.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 TTD 508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.79

$1.04 TTD 7.07

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$1.29 TTD 8.73

-30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.67 TTD 99.6

$14.76 TTD 100

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.55

$1.14 TTD 7.71

-2.63%

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

$14.6K TTD 99.0K

$33.5K TTD 227.5K

-56.47%

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

$38.0K TTD 257.7K

$38.3K TTD 260.3K

-0.99%

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

$79.4 TTD 539

$81.2 TTD 551

-2.19%

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

$46.81 TTD 318

$46.48 TTD 316

0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 417

$63.0 TTD 428

-2.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.10 TTD 299

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 TTD 50.9

$10.22 TTD 69.4

-26.61%

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

$325 TTD 2,206

$321 TTD 2,181

1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.7K

$7,238 TTD 49.1K

1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 TTD 403

$58.5 TTD 397

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.39 TTD 261

$37.86 TTD 257

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 993

$148 TTD 1,006

-1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 879

$128 TTD 871

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 TTD 4,578

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 TTD 3,004

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 TTD 9,859

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 TTD 6,452

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,783 TTD 12.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arouca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $73.0 in Diego Martin vs $87.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $944 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Diego Martin and $1,416 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 $325 in Diego Martin versus $321 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 $87.0 versus $73.0 in Diego Martin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Arouca versus $1,419 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.