Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Port of Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Port of Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,184 per month in Arima vs $1,573 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Arima vs $2,743 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,653 per month in Arima vs $3,913 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Arima is about 25% cheaper than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Arima sits 12% below the global median, while Port of Spain is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 TTD 60.0

$10.21 TTD 68.4

-12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 TTD 486

$89.4 TTD 599

-18.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 TTD 49.03

$7.31 TTD 48.97

0.14%

Cappuccino

$2.42 TTD 16.24

$3.66 TTD 24.54

-33.88%

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

$0.96 TTD 6.46

$1.05 TTD 7.01

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.73

$0.82 TTD 5.50

-13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 TTD 10.99

$1.81 TTD 12.13

-9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TTD 19.38

$3.05 TTD 20.46

-5.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.55

$2.63 TTD 17.61

-11.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.17

$2.71 TTD 18.16

-16.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 TTD 15.09

$2.56 TTD 17.16

-12.11%

Eggs

$4.24 TTD 28.37

$5.03 TTD 33.73

-15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.58

$7.98 TTD 53.5

-25.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 TTD 38.97

$10.31 TTD 69.1

-43.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 TTD 29.54

$14.21 TTD 95.2

-68.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.00

$5.73 TTD 38.38

4.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 TTD 13.63

$2.51 TTD 16.79

-19.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.53

$4.34 TTD 29.05

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 TTD 29.78

$4.82 TTD 32.28

-7.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 TTD 6.97

$1.45 TTD 9.71

-28.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 TTD 5.27

$1.67 TTD 11.18

-52.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.09

$1.96 TTD 13.15

-22.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.06

$1.47 TTD 9.84

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 TTD 28.97

$5.77 TTD 38.67

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 TTD 124

$18.09 TTD 121

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 TTD 13.14

$2.17 TTD 14.55

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.21

$2.85 TTD 19.07

-4.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.34

$1.06 TTD 7.10

-24.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 TTD 6.58

$1.05 TTD 7.01

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.76

$1.28 TTD 8.56

-44.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 TTD 100

$14.91 TTD 99.9

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 TTD 6.20

$1.09 TTD 7.31

-14.68%

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

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

-21.21%

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

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

-27.32%

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

$81.4 TTD 545

$80.6 TTD 540

0.95%

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

$44.96 TTD 301

$45.86 TTD 307

-1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 411

$61.2 TTD 410

0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 TTD 327

$53.7 TTD 360

-9.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 TTD 34.23

$10.05 TTD 67.3

-49.15%

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

$133 TTD 888

$329 TTD 2,203

-59.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 TTD 351

$59.5 TTD 398

-11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.74 TTD 179

$38.55 TTD 258

-30.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 848

$144 TTD 967

-12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 TTD 504

$127 TTD 849

-40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,183

$759 TTD 5,086

-37.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,376

$479 TTD 3,208

-25.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 TTD 5,736

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

-53.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 TTD 4,828

$1,273 TTD 8,526

-43.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 TTD 29.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 TTD 7,926

$733 TTD 4,908

61.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

-44.24%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arima: May 30, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $759 in Port of Spain. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Arima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $373 – 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

Arima vs Port of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port of Spain costs about 33% 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 $1,777 per month in Arima and $2,360 in Port of Spain. 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 $1,184 in Arima and $1,573 in Port of Spain. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Arima and $329 in Port of Spain. 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 $1,184, than in Port of Spain at $1,573. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port of Spain 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, Port of Spain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.