Cost of Living Comparison Between Marabella and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between Marabella and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $935 per month in Marabella vs $1,154 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Marabella vs $1,909 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,315 per month in Marabella vs $2,664 in Arima, rent included.

Marabella is about 19% cheaper than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Marabella and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Marabella 30% lower, Arima 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 TTD 70.3

$8.78 TTD 59.0

19.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 TTD 599

$74.7 TTD 502

19.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 TTD 48.52

$7.61 TTD 51.1

-4.99%

Cappuccino

$3.59 TTD 24.11

$2.36 TTD 15.84

52.12%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.11

$1.01 TTD 6.78

4.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$0.70 TTD 4.72

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 TTD 12.32

$1.60 TTD 10.72

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.43

$2.98 TTD 20.01

2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 TTD 17.73

$2.24 TTD 15.02

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 18.92

$2.35 TTD 15.79

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 17.84

$2.29 TTD 15.38

16.16%

Eggs

$5.11 TTD 34.32

$4.28 TTD 28.71

19.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 TTD 52.0

$6.14 TTD 41.23

26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 TTD 70.6

$5.79 TTD 38.87

81.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 TTD 95.0

$4.24 TTD 28.49

233.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 TTD 38.17

$5.72 TTD 38.40

-0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.57

$2.03 TTD 13.64

29.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 TTD 28.77

$4.32 TTD 29.03

-0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.56

$4.38 TTD 29.44

7.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.89

$1.00 TTD 6.70

47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 TTD 11.64

$0.82 TTD 5.53

110.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.62

$1.44 TTD 9.69

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 TTD 9.37

$1.20 TTD 8.04

15.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 TTD 38.51

$4.16 TTD 27.91

37.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 TTD 120

$18.94 TTD 127

-5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.94

$1.95 TTD 13.12

13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$2.74 TTD 18.41

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 TTD 5.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

$1.00 TTD 6.73

6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.64

$0.72 TTD 4.83

79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.53 TTD 97.5

$14.52 TTD 97.5

0.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.36

$1.01 TTD 6.80

8.91%

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

$34.5K TTD 231.9K

$26.8K TTD 180.0K

28.81%

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

$37.8K TTD 253.6K

$27.2K TTD 182.9K

38.66%

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

$81.3 TTD 546

$81.5 TTD 547

-0.29%

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

$47.00 TTD 316

$45.14 TTD 303

4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 TTD 409

$63.0 TTD 423

-3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 TTD 324

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 TTD 66.8

$5.10 TTD 34.23

95.10%

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

$324 TTD 2,173

$134 TTD 901

141.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,122 TTD 47.8K

$7,162 TTD 48.1K

-0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 404

$52.4 TTD 352

14.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$26.95 TTD 181

40.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 982

$125 TTD 839

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 848

$73.6 TTD 494

71.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,237

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 TTD 2,392

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 TTD 5,637

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 TTD 4,799

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 7,993

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

79.33%

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

Last update for Marabella: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Marabella versus $75.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $290 – making Arima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Marabella vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arima costs about 23% more than Marabella, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Marabella and $1,731 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Marabella and $1,154 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in Marabella and $134 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Marabella, where all-in costs run around $935, than in Arima at $1,154. In Marabella it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Marabella – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Marabella. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.