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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $914 in St.James versus $939 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,615 in St.James versus $1,605 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,317 in St.James versus $2,272 in Arouca.

Living in St.James costs roughly 3% less than in Arouca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: St.James 31% lower, Arouca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 TTD 69.7

$10.55 TTD 70.8

-1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 TTD 598

$87.5 TTD 588

1.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 TTD 50.5

$7.19 TTD 48.25

4.59%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$3.81 TTD 25.57

-4.46%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.02

$1.05 TTD 7.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.82 TTD 5.54

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.83 TTD 12.26

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.30

$3.01 TTD 20.23

5.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$2.66 TTD 17.83

1.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.85

$2.69 TTD 18.08

4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$2.70 TTD 18.10

-2.96%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.86

$4.90 TTD 32.88

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 TTD 53.8

$8.01 TTD 53.8

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 68.7

$10.29 TTD 69.1

-0.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 TTD 95.0

$14.33 TTD 96.3

-1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 TTD 39.87

$5.93 TTD 39.85

0.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$2.59 TTD 17.42

1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.76

$4.33 TTD 29.11

2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.26

$4.65 TTD 31.20

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.64

$1.43 TTD 9.64

0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.57

$1.65 TTD 11.10

4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.82

$1.88 TTD 12.61

1.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.37

$1.40 TTD 9.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 TTD 39.31

$5.77 TTD 38.76

1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 TTD 130

$17.75 TTD 119

9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.77

$2.20 TTD 14.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.28

$2.83 TTD 18.99

-3.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.84

$1.01 TTD 6.79

0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.63

$1.22 TTD 8.21

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 TTD 101

$14.71 TTD 98.8

1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.32

$1.14 TTD 7.67

-4.39%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

$33.5K TTD 224.9K

1.54%

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

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

$39.0K TTD 262.0K

-0.99%

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

$79.3 TTD 532

$78.6 TTD 528

0.88%

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

$46.15 TTD 310

$47.37 TTD 318

-2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$60.9 TTD 409

2.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 67.9

$9.89 TTD 66.4

2.22%

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

$325 TTD 2,184

$323 TTD 2,171

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

$7,351 TTD 49.4K

-0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 TTD 395

$59.4 TTD 399

-0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$38.61 TTD 259

-1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 965

$145 TTD 971

-0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 867

$126 TTD 844

2.69%

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 St.James: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arouca: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in St.James vs $88.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $372 per month, with Arouca cheaper across the board.

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 Arouca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St.James and Arouca differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($914 vs $939 including rent). St.James is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,370 in St.James and $1,408 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 $325 in St.James versus $323 in Arouca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in St.James – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $88.0 in Arouca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though St.James gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 St.James gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Arouca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.