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: $1,332 in San Juan versus $944 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,095 in San Juan versus $1,639 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,859 in San Juan versus $2,334 in Arouca.

Living in San Juan is roughly 41% more expensive than Arouca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan 1% lower, Arouca 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 TTD 50.4

$10.33 TTD 70.2

-28.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 TTD 404

$87.3 TTD 593

-31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 TTD 49.49

$7.51 TTD 51.0

-2.93%

Cappuccino

$3.72 TTD 25.29

$3.81 TTD 25.85

-2.36%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.46

$1.09 TTD 7.40

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.80

$0.77 TTD 5.20

-7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 TTD 12.75

$1.88 TTD 12.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.32

$3.06 TTD 20.79

-2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 TTD 17.95

$2.74 TTD 18.59

-3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 TTD 18.56

$2.68 TTD 18.19

1.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 TTD 17.58

$2.72 TTD 18.44

-4.78%

Eggs

$4.89 TTD 33.22

$4.97 TTD 33.73

-1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 TTD 55.4

$7.81 TTD 53.0

4.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 TTD 71.2

$10.28 TTD 69.8

2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 TTD 96.9

$14.33 TTD 97.3

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 TTD 39.05

$5.70 TTD 38.69

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 17.07

$2.61 TTD 17.70

-3.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.84

$4.24 TTD 28.76

0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.74

$4.61 TTD 31.29

4.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.13

$1.43 TTD 9.71

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 TTD 11.14

$1.72 TTD 11.69

-4.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 TTD 13.21

$1.96 TTD 13.28

-0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.98

$1.40 TTD 9.53

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 TTD 41.30

$6.01 TTD 40.83

1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 TTD 131

$19.29 TTD 131

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.85

$2.10 TTD 14.24

4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 TTD 18.65

$2.82 TTD 19.15

-2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.80

$1.04 TTD 7.07

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.36

$1.29 TTD 8.73

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 TTD 99.9

$14.76 TTD 100

-0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.41

$1.14 TTD 7.71

-4.39%

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

$33.4K TTD 226.5K

$33.5K TTD 227.5K

-0.40%

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

$38.2K TTD 259.2K

$38.3K TTD 260.3K

-0.44%

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

$79.8 TTD 542

$81.2 TTD 551

-1.66%

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

$46.97 TTD 319

$46.48 TTD 316

1.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 426

$63.0 TTD 428

-0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 TTD 67.7

$10.22 TTD 69.4

-2.45%

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

$323 TTD 2,191

$321 TTD 2,181

0.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,306 TTD 49.6K

$7,238 TTD 49.1K

0.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 TTD 401

$58.5 TTD 397

0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 TTD 258

$37.86 TTD 257

0.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 989

$148 TTD 1,006

-1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 876

$128 TTD 871

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 TTD 5,119

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,042

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 TTD 7,134

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 TTD 5,112

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arouca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in San Juan vs $87.0 in Arouca. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,332 vs $944 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,998 in San Juan and $1,416 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 $321 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 $87.0 versus $60.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Arouca versus $1,332 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 41% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.