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 $925 per month in St.James vs $1,262 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in St.James vs $2,162 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,247 per month in St.James vs $3,061 in Arima, rent included.

St.James is about 27% cheaper than Arima, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both St.James and Arima are more affordable than the global median – St.James 32% lower, Arima 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$10.12 TTD 68.1

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 TTD 589

$73.1 TTD 492

19.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 TTD 61.0

$8.88 TTD 59.8

2.14%

Cappuccino

$3.69 TTD 24.83

$3.77 TTD 25.36

-2.12%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.75

$1.01 TTD 6.79

-0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 TTD 15.27

$1.80 TTD 12.10

26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 TTD 24.21

$2.92 TTD 19.65

23.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 TTD 16.90

$2.39 TTD 16.08

5.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 TTD 16.67

$2.41 TTD 16.23

2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 TTD 19.17

$2.84 TTD 19.09

0.35%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.92

$4.39 TTD 29.53

-2.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 TTD 43.73

$6.70 TTD 45.06

-2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 TTD 67.1

$6.38 TTD 42.90

56.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 TTD 78.3

$8.99 TTD 60.5

29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 TTD 37.69

$5.53 TTD 37.20

1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 TTD 20.99

$2.30 TTD 15.47

35.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 TTD 25.01

$3.63 TTD 24.45

2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 TTD 28.04

$4.95 TTD 33.33

-15.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$1.33 TTD 8.94

66.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 TTD 13.00

$1.00 TTD 6.76

93.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.37

$1.40 TTD 9.42

31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 TTD 9.01

$0.91 TTD 6.13

47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 TTD 40.50

$4.82 TTD 32.43

24.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 127

$19.37 TTD 130

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$1.84 TTD 12.38

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.10

$2.96 TTD 19.93

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.11

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.07

$0.78 TTD 5.22

34.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.34

$0.75 TTD 5.06

65.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.3

$14.90 TTD 100

-1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.85

$1.12 TTD 7.54

4.46%

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

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

$27.2K TTD 183.3K

37.58%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

$36.1K TTD 243.1K

11.76%

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

$91.7 TTD 617

$91.8 TTD 617

-0.03%

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

$52.6 TTD 354

$44.02 TTD 296

19.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 TTD 377

$55.5 TTD 373

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 353

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 TTD 59.9

$8.88 TTD 59.7

0.23%

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

$404 TTD 2,716

$179 TTD 1,205

125.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

$10.9K TTD 73.2K

-0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 TTD 365

$63.8 TTD 429

-14.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 TTD 350

$43.62 TTD 293

19.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 985

$147 TTD 991

-0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 691

$74.4 TTD 501

38.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 TTD 3,476

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 TTD 2,463

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 TTD 7,023

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 TTD 5,891

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,188 TTD 7,994

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for St.James: September 13, 2026

Last update for Arima: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in St.James versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $313 – 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 36% more than St.James, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in St.James and $1,893 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in St.James and $1,262 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $404 per month in St.James and $179 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 $925, than in Arima at $1,262. 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.