Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in San Fernando vs $1,258 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in San Fernando vs $2,135 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in San Fernando vs $3,012 in Arima, rent included.

San Fernando and Arima have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both San Fernando and Arima are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 9% lower, Arima 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.29 TTD 69.4

$10.23 TTD 69.0

0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$74.7 TTD 504

-20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 TTD 54.9

$8.92 TTD 60.1

-8.63%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.64

$3.66 TTD 24.66

3.83%

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

$0.99 TTD 6.67

$1.04 TTD 6.98

-4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$0.71 TTD 4.80

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 TTD 12.61

$1.85 TTD 12.48

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 TTD 16.92

$2.99 TTD 20.16

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.66

$2.45 TTD 16.52

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.25

$2.40 TTD 16.20

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 TTD 18.92

$2.78 TTD 18.72

1.08%

Eggs

$3.93 TTD 26.50

$4.37 TTD 29.47

-10.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 TTD 45.75

$6.80 TTD 45.85

-0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 TTD 67.1

$6.35 TTD 42.78

56.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 TTD 58.8

$8.70 TTD 58.7

0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 TTD 37.36

$5.53 TTD 37.30

0.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.65

$2.20 TTD 14.85

12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 TTD 24.23

$3.72 TTD 25.07

-3.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.20

$5.03 TTD 33.89

-16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.86

$1.34 TTD 9.01

-46.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$0.96 TTD 6.46

-19.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.19

$1.34 TTD 9.05

12.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.82

$0.91 TTD 6.15

27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 TTD 38.84

$4.78 TTD 32.22

20.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 TTD 120

$18.79 TTD 127

-5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.53

$1.84 TTD 12.39

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.50

$2.99 TTD 20.19

1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$1.02 TTD 6.85

-55.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.37 TTD 299

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 TTD 5.86

$0.70 TTD 4.75

24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$0.75 TTD 5.09

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.99 TTD 101

$14.47 TTD 97.5

3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.91

$1.16 TTD 7.80

0.86%

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

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

$27.7K TTD 186.9K

30.71%

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

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

$36.3K TTD 244.7K

13.51%

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

$44.23 TTD 298

$92.2 TTD 622

-52.04%

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

$42.55 TTD 287

$44.61 TTD 301

-4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.30 TTD 312

$56.0 TTD 377

-17.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 TTD 344

$51.3 TTD 346

-0.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 TTD 59.9

$8.81 TTD 59.4

0.91%

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

$396 TTD 2,670

$174 TTD 1,176

127.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

-0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 TTD 372

$62.8 TTD 424

-12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.31 TTD 252

$44.36 TTD 299

-15.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$144 TTD 970

-37.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 TTD 590

$75.0 TTD 506

16.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 TTD 3,429

$526 TTD 3,543

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 TTD 2,634

$369 TTD 2,488

5.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 TTD 6,007

$1,046 TTD 7,055

-14.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 TTD 5,025

$889 TTD 5,995

-16.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,028 TTD 6,928

$1,187 TTD 8,000

-13.40%

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 San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Last update for Arima: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in San Fernando versus $526 in Arima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Arima. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Fernando versus $75.0 in Arima. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in San Fernando vs $311 in Arima – so Arima wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

San Fernando vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,879 per month in San Fernando and $1,886 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Arima – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Fernando and $75.0 in Arima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Arima at $1,258. In San Fernando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando – 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 San Fernando. 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.