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: $936 in St.James versus $944 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,628 in St.James versus $1,639 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in St.James versus $2,334 in Arouca.

Living in St.James costs roughly 1% less than in Arouca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: St.James 30% lower, Arouca 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 69.6

$10.33 TTD 70.2

-0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 607

$87.3 TTD 593

2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.7

$7.51 TTD 51.0

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.95

$3.81 TTD 25.85

-3.67%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.09 TTD 7.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.58

$0.77 TTD 5.20

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.41

$1.88 TTD 12.76

-2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.62

$3.06 TTD 20.79

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.19

$2.74 TTD 18.59

-2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 19.07

$2.68 TTD 18.19

4.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.54

$2.72 TTD 18.44

-5.15%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.24

$4.97 TTD 33.73

1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 TTD 54.3

$7.81 TTD 53.0

2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 TTD 71.3

$10.28 TTD 69.8

2.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 TTD 95.9

$14.33 TTD 97.3

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.71

$5.70 TTD 38.69

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.83

$2.61 TTD 17.70

0.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.43

$4.24 TTD 28.76

2.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.80

$4.61 TTD 31.29

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.12

$1.43 TTD 9.71

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.32

$1.72 TTD 11.69

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 TTD 12.82

$1.96 TTD 13.28

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.52

$1.40 TTD 9.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 TTD 39.26

$6.01 TTD 40.83

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 TTD 131

$19.29 TTD 131

0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 TTD 14.25

$2.10 TTD 14.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.29

$2.82 TTD 19.15

-4.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$1.04 TTD 7.07

0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.41

$1.29 TTD 8.73

-3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 TTD 102

$14.76 TTD 100

1.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.79

$1.14 TTD 7.71

0.88%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

$33.5K TTD 227.5K

1.98%

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

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

$38.3K TTD 260.3K

1.79%

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

$80.0 TTD 543

$81.2 TTD 551

-1.48%

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

$47.03 TTD 319

$46.48 TTD 316

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 418

$63.0 TTD 428

-2.18%

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 TTD 68.0

$10.22 TTD 69.4

-2.05%

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

$321 TTD 2,181

-0.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

$7,238 TTD 49.1K

1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 407

$58.5 TTD 397

2.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 TTD 256

$37.86 TTD 257

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 973

$148 TTD 1,006

-3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 857

$128 TTD 871

-1.61%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arouca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in St.James vs $87.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $374 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 1% in total monthly costs ($936 vs $944 including rent). St.James is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,404 in St.James 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 $321 in St.James 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 St.James – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $87.0 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 1% less than in Arouca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.