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: $925 in St.James versus $767 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in St.James versus $1,304 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in St.James versus $1,841 in Arouca.

Living in St.James is roughly 21% more expensive than in Arouca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: St.James 32% lower, Arouca 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$10.15 TTD 68.3

3.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 TTD 589

$58.5 TTD 394

49.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 TTD 61.0

$8.04 TTD 54.1

12.81%

Cappuccino

$3.69 TTD 24.83

$3.75 TTD 25.24

-1.60%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.75

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

$0.71 TTD 4.79

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 TTD 15.27

$1.79 TTD 12.04

26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 TTD 24.21

$2.61 TTD 17.53

37.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 TTD 16.90

$2.04 TTD 13.71

23.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 TTD 16.67

$2.32 TTD 15.60

6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 TTD 19.17

$2.93 TTD 19.73

-2.73%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.92

$3.88 TTD 26.10

10.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 TTD 43.73

$6.73 TTD 45.27

-3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 TTD 67.1

$10.00 TTD 67.3

-0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 TTD 78.3

$8.73 TTD 58.8

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 TTD 37.69

$5.36 TTD 36.08

4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 TTD 20.99

$2.48 TTD 16.68

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 TTD 25.01

$3.72 TTD 25.04

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 TTD 28.04

$4.16 TTD 28.01

0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$0.75 TTD 5.06

194.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 TTD 13.00

$0.71 TTD 4.77

171.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.37

$1.45 TTD 9.73

26.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 TTD 9.01

$1.20 TTD 8.10

11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 TTD 40.50

$5.45 TTD 36.66

10.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 127

$17.93 TTD 121

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$1.55 TTD 10.45

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.10

$2.94 TTD 19.76

1.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.07

$0.92 TTD 6.18

14.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.34

$0.85 TTD 5.71

45.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.3

$14.85 TTD 99.9

-1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.85

$1.13 TTD 7.59

3.54%

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

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

$37.4K TTD 251.4K

0.30%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

$41.1K TTD 276.8K

-1.85%

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

$91.7 TTD 617

$43.85 TTD 295

109.17%

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

$52.6 TTD 354

$42.83 TTD 288

22.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 TTD 377

$44.76 TTD 301

25.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 TTD 59.9

$8.76 TTD 58.9

1.60%

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

$404 TTD 2,716

$394 TTD 2,654

2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

$10.7K TTD 71.7K

1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 TTD 365

$53.6 TTD 360

1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 TTD 350

$36.24 TTD 244

43.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 985

$89.8 TTD 604

63.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 691

$89.1 TTD 600

15.28%

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 Arouca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $88.0 in St.James vs $58.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $318 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 21% in total monthly costs ($925 vs $767 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,387 in St.James and $1,151 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 $404 in St.James versus $394 in Arouca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arouca – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $88.0 in St.James. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Arouca 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 Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in St.James. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.