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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $984 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,262 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,736 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,162 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,488 per month in Tunapuna vs $3,061 in Arima, rent included.

Tunapuna is about 22% cheaper than Arima, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Tunapuna and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Tunapuna 28% lower, Arima 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$10.12 TTD 68.1

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 TTD 500

$73.1 TTD 492

1.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 TTD 54.2

$8.88 TTD 59.8

-9.35%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.29

$3.77 TTD 25.36

-0.27%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.70

$1.01 TTD 6.79

-0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.16

$0.76 TTD 5.11

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.09

$1.80 TTD 12.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 TTD 19.50

$2.92 TTD 19.65

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 TTD 13.97

$2.39 TTD 16.08

-12.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.21

$2.41 TTD 16.23

-6.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 TTD 19.42

$2.84 TTD 19.09

1.76%

Eggs

$3.82 TTD 25.67

$4.39 TTD 29.53

-12.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 TTD 45.53

$6.70 TTD 45.06

1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 TTD 68.6

$6.38 TTD 42.90

59.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.95 TTD 60.2

$8.99 TTD 60.5

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.57 TTD 37.46

$5.53 TTD 37.20

0.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 TTD 16.56

$2.30 TTD 15.47

6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 TTD 24.33

$3.63 TTD 24.45

-0.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 TTD 28.17

$4.95 TTD 33.33

-15.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TTD 4.80

$1.33 TTD 8.94

-46.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 TTD 4.75

$1.00 TTD 6.76

-29.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 TTD 9.75

$1.40 TTD 9.42

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.83

$0.91 TTD 6.13

27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 TTD 35.21

$4.82 TTD 32.43

8.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 TTD 128

$19.37 TTD 130

-1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.48

$1.84 TTD 12.38

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.53

$2.96 TTD 19.93

3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.11

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 TTD 6.07

$0.78 TTD 5.22

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 TTD 5.83

$0.75 TTD 5.06

16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.53 TTD 97.8

$14.90 TTD 100

-2.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 TTD 7.57

$1.12 TTD 7.54

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

$37.3K TTD 251.1K

$27.2K TTD 183.3K

36.98%

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

$41.0K TTD 275.6K

$36.1K TTD 243.1K

13.34%

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

$44.82 TTD 302

$91.8 TTD 617

-51.15%

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

$42.35 TTD 285

$44.02 TTD 296

-3.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.63 TTD 300

$55.5 TTD 373

-19.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 353

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 TTD 58.3

$8.88 TTD 59.7

-2.36%

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

$402 TTD 2,707

$179 TTD 1,205

124.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.5K

$10.9K TTD 73.2K

-1.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 TTD 371

$63.8 TTD 429

-13.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.82 TTD 248

$43.62 TTD 293

-15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 TTD 598

$147 TTD 991

-39.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 TTD 400

$74.4 TTD 501

-20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 TTD 1,886

$517 TTD 3,476

-45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 TTD 1,615

$366 TTD 2,463

-34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 TTD 4,542

$1,044 TTD 7,023

-35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 TTD 3,969

$876 TTD 5,891

-32.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,188 TTD 7,994

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 Tunapuna: September 15, 2026

Last update for Arima: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Tunapuna versus $517 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 Tunapuna versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $313 – 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

Tunapuna vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arima costs about 28% more than Tunapuna, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,475 per month in Tunapuna and $1,893 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunapuna, 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 $984 in Tunapuna and $1,262 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $402 per month in Tunapuna and $179 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 Tunapuna, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Arima at $1,262. In Tunapuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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