Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunapuna and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunapuna and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,147 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,986 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,892 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,732 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,637 in Arima, rent included.

Tunapuna costs about 8% more than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tunapuna and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Tunapuna 8% lower, Arima 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 TTD 39.82

$8.67 TTD 58.6

-32.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 492

$72.6 TTD 491

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 TTD 44.15

$7.46 TTD 50.5

-12.47%

Cappuccino

$3.01 TTD 20.33

$2.44 TTD 16.49

23.36%

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

$0.54 TTD 3.68

$0.97 TTD 6.55

-44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$0.77 TTD 5.19

-41.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 TTD 10.22

$1.66 TTD 11.20

-9.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 TTD 20.31

$2.92 TTD 19.78

2.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 TTD 14.22

$2.32 TTD 15.70

-9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 TTD 18.18

$2.29 TTD 15.47

17.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 TTD 17.92

$2.38 TTD 16.09

11.34%

Eggs

$4.94 TTD 33.43

$4.27 TTD 28.86

15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 54.0

$6.24 TTD 42.16

27.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 TTD 70.7

$6.02 TTD 40.67

73.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 96.0

$4.33 TTD 29.28

228.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 TTD 39.01

$5.91 TTD 39.95

-2.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.40

$1.96 TTD 13.23

31.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 TTD 30.00

$4.18 TTD 28.28

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.75

$4.55 TTD 30.79

3.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.96

$1.03 TTD 6.98

42.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 TTD 11.68

$0.81 TTD 5.49

113.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$1.52 TTD 10.30

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 TTD 6.85

$1.21 TTD 8.19

-16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 TTD 33.95

$4.26 TTD 28.79

17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 TTD 127

$18.46 TTD 125

1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.95 TTD 13.18

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.55

$2.83 TTD 19.14

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.16

$0.99 TTD 6.71

7.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 TTD 8.21

$0.71 TTD 4.78

70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 101

$14.60 TTD 98.7

2.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$0.95 TTD 6.44

6.32%

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

$33.4K TTD 225.8K

$26.9K TTD 181.6K

24.32%

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

$38.6K TTD 260.7K

$27.0K TTD 182.4K

42.91%

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

$80.0 TTD 541

$78.5 TTD 531

1.91%

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

$47.46 TTD 321

$44.44 TTD 300

6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 416

$62.8 TTD 425

-1.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.11 TTD 319

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TTD 65.7

$5.21 TTD 35.23

86.37%

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

$326 TTD 2,201

$133 TTD 897

145.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,083 TTD 47.9K

$7,146 TTD 48.3K

-0.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 TTD 401

$51.1 TTD 346

16.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.95 TTD 257

$26.10 TTD 176

45.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,003

$127 TTD 857

17.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 TTD 394

$72.6 TTD 491

-19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 TTD 2,973

$482 TTD 3,259

-8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 TTD 2,630

$350 TTD 2,366

11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 TTD 7,105

$854 TTD 5,774

23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 TTD 4,827

$723 TTD 4,890

-1.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 TTD 8,011

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 Tunapuna: June 6, 2026

Last update for Arima: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Tunapuna versus $482 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 $73.0 in Tunapuna versus $73.0 in Arima. Groceries tell a different story – $361 in Tunapuna vs $293 in Arima – so Arima wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Tunapuna vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunapuna costs about 8% more than Arima, 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 $1,859 per month in Tunapuna and $1,721 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 $1,239 in Tunapuna and $1,147 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $326 per month in Tunapuna and $133 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 $1,147, than in Tunapuna at $1,239. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunapuna 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, Tunapuna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.