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 $1,334 per month in San Juan vs $1,184 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in San Juan vs $1,919 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,807 per month in San Juan vs $2,653 in Arima, rent included.

San Juan costs about 13% more than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Juan sits 0% above the global median, while Arima is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 TTD 50.6

$8.96 TTD 60.0

-15.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 397

$72.5 TTD 486

-18.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 TTD 48.77

$7.32 TTD 49.03

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.61

$2.42 TTD 16.24

51.65%

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

$1.08 TTD 7.24

$0.96 TTD 6.46

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.79

$0.71 TTD 4.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.64 TTD 10.99

10.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.90

$2.89 TTD 19.38

2.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 TTD 18.27

$2.32 TTD 15.55

17.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 TTD 17.95

$2.26 TTD 15.17

18.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 TTD 17.99

$2.25 TTD 15.09

19.56%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.42

$4.24 TTD 28.37

21.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 TTD 54.4

$5.91 TTD 39.58

37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 TTD 70.5

$5.82 TTD 38.97

80.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 TTD 94.3

$4.41 TTD 29.54

219.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.91

$5.97 TTD 40.00

-5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.82

$2.03 TTD 13.63

23.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.52

$4.26 TTD 28.53

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.48

$4.45 TTD 29.78

5.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.55

$1.04 TTD 6.97

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TTD 11.24

$0.79 TTD 5.27

112.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.60

$1.51 TTD 10.09

24.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.40

$1.20 TTD 8.06

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 TTD 40.23

$4.32 TTD 28.97

38.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 TTD 124

$18.50 TTD 124

0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.65

$1.96 TTD 13.14

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.03

$2.72 TTD 18.21

-1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$0.98 TTD 6.58

3.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.26

$0.71 TTD 4.76

73.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.85 TTD 99.5

$14.94 TTD 100

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.36

$0.93 TTD 6.20

18.28%

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

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

28.98%

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

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

39.97%

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

$81.1 TTD 543

$81.4 TTD 545

-0.42%

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

$47.47 TTD 318

$44.96 TTD 301

5.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 TTD 409

$61.4 TTD 411

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 TTD 327

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 66.3

$5.11 TTD 34.23

93.74%

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

$324 TTD 2,172

$133 TTD 888

144.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 TTD 394

$52.4 TTD 351

12.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 TTD 260

$26.74 TTD 179

45.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 997

$127 TTD 848

17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 852

$75.2 TTD 504

69.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 TTD 4,937

$475 TTD 3,183

55.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 TTD 3,026

$355 TTD 2,376

27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 TTD 7,051

$856 TTD 5,736

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 4,988

$721 TTD 4,828

3.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 TTD 7,926

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Arima: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in San Juan versus $475 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 $59.0 in San Juan versus $73.0 in Arima. Groceries tell a different story – $374 in San Juan vs $291 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 13% 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 $2,001 per month in San Juan and $1,777 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 $1,334 in San Juan and $1,184 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in San Juan and $133 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 $1,184, than in San Juan at $1,334. 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.