Cost of Living Comparison Between Trinidad and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between Trinidad and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Trinidad vs $1,163 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,331 per month in Trinidad vs $1,925 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,267 per month in Trinidad vs $2,687 in Arima, rent included.

Trinidad costs about 20% more than Arima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Trinidad sits 4% above the global median, while Arima is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 69.1

$9.03 TTD 60.8

13.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 TTD 496

$72.7 TTD 490

1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 49.28

$7.50 TTD 50.6

-2.53%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.82

$2.39 TTD 16.12

53.97%

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

$0.99 TTD 6.68

$0.94 TTD 6.36

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.23

$0.75 TTD 5.07

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 TTD 9.81

$1.59 TTD 10.70

-8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.54

$3.04 TTD 20.51

0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$2.27 TTD 15.31

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 TTD 16.24

$2.37 TTD 15.96

1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.32

$2.27 TTD 15.29

13.22%

Eggs

$4.16 TTD 28.05

$4.30 TTD 28.98

-3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 TTD 53.1

$6.25 TTD 42.12

26.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.54 TTD 71.1

$5.83 TTD 39.27

80.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 TTD 52.8

$4.33 TTD 29.17

80.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 TTD 29.73

$5.66 TTD 38.18

-22.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.05

$2.07 TTD 13.94

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 TTD 23.26

$4.37 TTD 29.45

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 TTD 31.44

$4.37 TTD 29.48

6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 TTD 7.72

$1.00 TTD 6.73

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 TTD 9.53

$0.84 TTD 5.65

67.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 TTD 12.22

$1.46 TTD 9.83

23.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.45

$1.14 TTD 7.72

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 TTD 35.76

$4.29 TTD 28.92

23.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 TTD 104

$19.35 TTD 130

-20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.94

$1.89 TTD 12.75

17.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.91

$2.81 TTD 18.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 TTD 9.87

$0.79 TTD 5.31

84.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 TTD 813

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$0.92 TTD 6.19

-6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.76

$0.72 TTD 4.89

-1.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.63 TTD 98.6

$14.64 TTD 98.7

-0.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.76

$0.94 TTD 6.33

22.34%

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

$33.5K TTD 225.9K

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

22.98%

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

$38.3K TTD 257.9K

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

38.36%

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

$80.9 TTD 546

$81.5 TTD 549

-0.69%

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

$42.84 TTD 289

$43.65 TTD 294

-1.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 TTD 342

$62.7 TTD 422

-19.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 TTD 334

$47.80 TTD 322

3.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.42 TTD 124

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 TTD 61.3

$5.19 TTD 34.98

75.34%

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

$329 TTD 2,217

$131 TTD 881

151.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,251 TTD 48.9K

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

2.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 TTD 395

$51.2 TTD 345

14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.19 TTD 264

$27.01 TTD 182

45.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 TTD 490

$127 TTD 859

-42.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 TTD 543

$75.0 TTD 505

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 TTD 4,323

$485 TTD 3,267

32.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 TTD 2,756

$355 TTD 2,389

15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 TTD 10.3K

$843 TTD 5,680

80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 TTD 5,868

$707 TTD 4,763

23.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

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 Trinidad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Trinidad versus $485 in Arima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Trinidad versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $292 – 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

Trinidad vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trinidad costs about 20% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,093 per month in Trinidad and $1,745 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Trinidad and $1,163 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $329 per month in Trinidad and $131 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Trinidad at $1,396. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trinidad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arima – 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 Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Trinidad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.