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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,355 per month in San Juan vs $1,163 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in San Juan vs $1,925 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,810 per month in San Juan vs $2,687 in Arima, rent included.

San Juan costs about 16% more than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Juan sits 1% above the global median, while Arima is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 TTD 48.85

$9.03 TTD 60.8

-19.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 TTD 392

$72.7 TTD 490

-20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 TTD 51.0

$7.50 TTD 50.6

0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.79 TTD 25.57

$2.39 TTD 16.12

58.58%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.40

$0.94 TTD 6.36

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.80

$0.75 TTD 5.07

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$1.59 TTD 10.70

19.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 TTD 19.58

$3.04 TTD 20.51

-4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 TTD 18.65

$2.27 TTD 15.31

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 TTD 19.12

$2.37 TTD 15.96

19.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 TTD 18.29

$2.27 TTD 15.29

19.38%

Eggs

$5.10 TTD 34.39

$4.30 TTD 28.98

18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 TTD 54.4

$6.25 TTD 42.12

29.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 TTD 70.0

$5.83 TTD 39.27

78.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 TTD 95.1

$4.33 TTD 29.17

225.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 TTD 38.82

$5.66 TTD 38.18

1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.37

$2.07 TTD 13.94

24.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.81

$4.37 TTD 29.45

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 TTD 32.16

$4.37 TTD 29.48

9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.95

$1.00 TTD 6.73

48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.20

$0.84 TTD 5.65

97.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.22

$1.46 TTD 9.83

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.46

$1.14 TTD 7.72

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 TTD 39.92

$4.29 TTD 28.92

38.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 TTD 131

$19.35 TTD 130

0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.32

$1.89 TTD 12.75

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.48

$2.81 TTD 18.95

-2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.09

$0.92 TTD 6.19

14.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 TTD 8.51

$0.72 TTD 4.89

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.93 TTD 101

$14.64 TTD 98.7

1.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.62

$0.94 TTD 6.33

20.21%

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

$34.1K TTD 229.7K

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

25.05%

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

$38.5K TTD 259.7K

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

39.36%

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

$80.0 TTD 539

$81.5 TTD 549

-1.83%

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

$47.34 TTD 319

$43.65 TTD 294

8.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 TTD 411

$62.7 TTD 422

-2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 68.1

$5.19 TTD 34.98

94.80%

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

$327 TTD 2,203

$131 TTD 881

150.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 TTD 49.5K

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

3.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 403

$51.2 TTD 345

16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 TTD 260

$27.01 TTD 182

42.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 1,003

$127 TTD 859

16.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 852

$75.0 TTD 505

68.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 5,013

$485 TTD 3,267

53.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 TTD 2,966

$355 TTD 2,389

24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 TTD 6,976

$843 TTD 5,680

22.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 TTD 5,078

$707 TTD 4,763

6.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

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 San Juan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in San Juan versus $485 in Arima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in San Juan versus $73.0 in Arima. Groceries tell a different story – $378 in San Juan vs $292 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 Juan vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 16% more than Arima, 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 $2,032 per month in San Juan and $1,745 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,355 in San Juan and $1,163 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $327 per month in San Juan and $131 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in San Juan at $1,355. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arima – 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 Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.