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 $918 per month in St.James vs $1,154 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in St.James vs $1,914 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,363 per month in St.James vs $2,675 in Arima, rent included.

St.James is about 20% 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

$10.22 TTD 69.0

$9.06 TTD 61.2

12.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 603

$74.2 TTD 501

20.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 TTD 50.0

$7.50 TTD 50.7

-1.33%

Cappuccino

$3.63 TTD 24.51

$2.39 TTD 16.17

51.88%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.08

$0.95 TTD 6.39

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.14

$0.71 TTD 4.77

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.82

$1.67 TTD 11.30

13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 TTD 20.70

$2.93 TTD 19.81

4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 TTD 18.68

$2.33 TTD 15.72

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 TTD 18.49

$2.28 TTD 15.39

20.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 TTD 17.55

$2.27 TTD 15.30

14.54%

Eggs

$4.97 TTD 33.58

$4.29 TTD 28.96

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 TTD 53.3

$6.04 TTD 40.78

30.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 TTD 69.4

$5.69 TTD 38.47

80.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 TTD 98.2

$4.40 TTD 29.72

230.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.50

$5.79 TTD 39.14

1.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.09

$1.96 TTD 13.27

29.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 TTD 28.32

$4.28 TTD 28.89

-2.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 TTD 31.25

$4.59 TTD 30.99

0.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.57

$1.05 TTD 7.09

35.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 TTD 11.09

$0.77 TTD 5.23

112.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.24

$1.46 TTD 9.86

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.43

$1.17 TTD 7.88

19.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 TTD 40.65

$4.24 TTD 28.61

41.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 TTD 131

$18.93 TTD 128

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 TTD 14.73

$1.94 TTD 13.13

12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 TTD 18.64

$2.71 TTD 18.28

1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.11

$0.95 TTD 6.39

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 TTD 8.60

$0.73 TTD 4.90

73.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.7

$14.85 TTD 100

-1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.38

$0.94 TTD 6.38

15.96%

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

$33.9K TTD 228.7K

$27.6K TTD 186.7K

22.49%

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

$39.0K TTD 263.2K

$26.9K TTD 181.6K

44.90%

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

$81.5 TTD 551

$80.7 TTD 545

1.05%

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

$46.57 TTD 315

$43.65 TTD 295

6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 414

$61.5 TTD 416

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.21 TTD 319

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 TTD 68.2

$5.32 TTD 35.93

89.85%

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

$334 TTD 2,255

$132 TTD 893

152.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,163 TTD 48.4K

$7,109 TTD 48.0K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 TTD 407

$51.2 TTD 346

17.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.76 TTD 255

$26.68 TTD 180

41.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 982

$123 TTD 834

17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 849

$75.1 TTD 507

67.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 TTD 3,219

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 TTD 2,394

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 TTD 5,741

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 TTD 4,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 TTD 8,095

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Arima: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $74.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 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 $1,377 per month in St.James and $1,730 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $918 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 $334 per month in St.James and $132 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 $918, 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.