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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,370 in San Juan versus $943 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in San Juan versus $1,638 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,893 in San Juan versus $2,333 in Arouca.

Living in San Juan is roughly 45% more expensive than Arouca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 2% above, Arouca is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 TTD 50.5

$10.41 TTD 70.4

-28.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 TTD 405

$87.8 TTD 593

-31.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 TTD 51.3

$7.49 TTD 50.7

1.20%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.43

$3.64 TTD 24.64

3.30%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.09 TTD 7.37

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.25

$0.77 TTD 5.18

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.82

$1.82 TTD 12.31

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.46

$3.08 TTD 20.84

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.50

$2.63 TTD 17.80

4.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 TTD 18.26

$2.80 TTD 18.93

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 TTD 18.16

$2.70 TTD 18.28

-0.37%

Eggs

$4.99 TTD 33.75

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 TTD 53.5

$7.74 TTD 52.4

2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 TTD 71.6

$10.34 TTD 69.9

2.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TTD 98.3

$14.10 TTD 95.4

3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 TTD 40.51

$5.92 TTD 40.00

1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 TTD 17.59

$2.58 TTD 17.47

0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 TTD 28.37

$4.29 TTD 29.00

-2.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.49

$4.77 TTD 32.24

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.43 TTD 9.67

4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.22

$1.66 TTD 11.23

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.28

$1.90 TTD 12.83

3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.57

$1.39 TTD 9.40

2.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 TTD 40.57

$5.90 TTD 39.87

1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 TTD 125

$18.66 TTD 126

-1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.92

$2.20 TTD 14.90

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 TTD 19.19

$2.81 TTD 19.02

1.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.12

$1.06 TTD 7.15

-0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 TTD 8.57

$1.28 TTD 8.65

-0.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.67 TTD 99.2

$14.95 TTD 101

-1.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.78

$1.13 TTD 7.66

1.77%

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

$34.6K TTD 233.6K

$34.1K TTD 230.2K

1.46%

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

$38.9K TTD 262.9K

$37.9K TTD 256.5K

2.49%

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

$79.4 TTD 537

$80.6 TTD 545

-1.40%

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

$45.97 TTD 311

$47.29 TTD 320

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 TTD 420

$60.8 TTD 411

2.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 TTD 66.6

$10.15 TTD 68.6

-2.86%

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

$323 TTD 2,181

$330 TTD 2,233

-2.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,203 TTD 48.7K

$7,290 TTD 49.3K

-1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 TTD 394

$58.5 TTD 396

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.72 TTD 255

$38.73 TTD 262

-2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 992

$148 TTD 999

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 866

$128 TTD 862

0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 TTD 5,012

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 TTD 3,013

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 TTD 6,985

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 TTD 5,075

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 San Juan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arouca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in San Juan vs $88.0 in Arouca. Groceries flip the comparison at $378 vs $374, with Arouca cheaper for home cooking.

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 Arouca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Arouca differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,370 vs $943 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,055 in San Juan and $1,414 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 $323 in San Juan versus $330 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 $88.0 versus $60.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $943 in Arouca versus $1,370 in San Juan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arouca but tight or insufficient in San Juan. 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.

Expats usually find Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.