Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $914 per month in St.James vs $1,154 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in St.James vs $1,909 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,317 per month in St.James vs $2,664 in Arima, rent included.

St.James is about 21% cheaper than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St.James and Arima are more affordable than the global median – St.James 31% lower, Arima 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 TTD 69.7

$8.78 TTD 59.0

18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 TTD 598

$74.7 TTD 502

19.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 TTD 50.5

$7.61 TTD 51.1

-1.18%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$2.36 TTD 15.84

54.24%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.02

$1.01 TTD 6.78

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.70 TTD 4.72

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.60 TTD 10.72

13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.30

$2.98 TTD 20.01

6.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$2.24 TTD 15.02

20.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.85

$2.35 TTD 15.79

19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$2.29 TTD 15.38

14.41%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.86

$4.28 TTD 28.71

17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 TTD 53.8

$6.14 TTD 41.23

30.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 68.7

$5.79 TTD 38.87

76.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 TTD 95.0

$4.24 TTD 28.49

233.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 TTD 39.87

$5.72 TTD 38.40

3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$2.03 TTD 13.64

29.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.76

$4.32 TTD 29.03

2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.26

$4.38 TTD 29.44

9.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.64

$1.00 TTD 6.70

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.57

$0.82 TTD 5.53

109.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.82

$1.44 TTD 9.69

32.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.37

$1.20 TTD 8.04

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 TTD 39.31

$4.16 TTD 27.91

40.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 TTD 130

$18.94 TTD 127

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.77

$1.95 TTD 13.12

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.28

$2.74 TTD 18.41

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 TTD 5.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.84

$1.00 TTD 6.73

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.63

$0.72 TTD 4.83

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 TTD 101

$14.52 TTD 97.5

3.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.32

$1.01 TTD 6.80

7.92%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

$26.8K TTD 180.0K

26.82%

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

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

$27.2K TTD 182.9K

41.84%

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

$79.3 TTD 532

$81.5 TTD 547

-2.75%

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

$46.15 TTD 310

$45.14 TTD 303

2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$63.0 TTD 423

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 TTD 324

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 67.9

$5.10 TTD 34.23

98.24%

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

$325 TTD 2,184

$134 TTD 901

142.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

$7,162 TTD 48.1K

2.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 TTD 395

$52.4 TTD 352

12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$26.95 TTD 181

40.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 965

$125 TTD 839

15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 867

$73.6 TTD 494

75.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,237

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 TTD 2,392

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 TTD 5,637

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 TTD 4,799

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 7,993

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 St.James: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $75.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $290 – making Arima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

St.James vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arima costs about 26% more than St.James, 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 $1,370 per month in St.James and $1,731 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $914 in St.James and $1,154 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $325 per month in St.James and $134 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Arima at $1,154. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.James – 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 St.James. 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.