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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $927 per month in Carenage vs $1,573 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Carenage vs $2,743 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Carenage vs $3,913 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Carenage is about 41% cheaper than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Carenage sits 31% below the global median, while Port of Spain is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 70.6

$10.21 TTD 68.4

3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.6 TTD 587

$89.4 TTD 599

-2.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 TTD 48.26

$7.31 TTD 48.97

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.49

$3.66 TTD 24.54

3.83%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.06

$1.05 TTD 7.01

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.44

$0.82 TTD 5.50

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.12

$1.81 TTD 12.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 TTD 20.55

$3.05 TTD 20.46

0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.63

$2.63 TTD 17.61

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 TTD 18.57

$2.71 TTD 18.16

2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.56

$2.56 TTD 17.16

2.34%

Eggs

$5.10 TTD 34.14

$5.03 TTD 33.73

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 TTD 53.9

$7.98 TTD 53.5

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 TTD 68.9

$10.31 TTD 69.1

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 TTD 96.6

$14.21 TTD 95.2

1.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 TTD 38.28

$5.73 TTD 38.38

-0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.84

$2.51 TTD 16.79

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.28

$4.34 TTD 29.05

0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 TTD 31.96

$4.82 TTD 32.28

-1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.06

$1.45 TTD 9.71

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.13

$1.67 TTD 11.18

-0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 TTD 12.54

$1.96 TTD 13.15

-4.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 TTD 9.30

$1.47 TTD 9.84

-5.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 TTD 39.76

$5.77 TTD 38.67

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 TTD 124

$18.09 TTD 121

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.83

$2.17 TTD 14.55

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 18.91

$2.85 TTD 19.07

-1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.77

$1.05 TTD 7.01

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 TTD 8.49

$1.28 TTD 8.56

-0.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.63 TTD 98.0

$14.91 TTD 99.9

-1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.35

$1.09 TTD 7.31

0.92%

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

$34.0K TTD 227.9K

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

-0.12%

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

$38.8K TTD 259.8K

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

2.04%

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

$79.4 TTD 532

$80.6 TTD 540

-1.50%

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

$46.87 TTD 314

$45.86 TTD 307

2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 TTD 417

$61.2 TTD 410

1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 TTD 65.1

$10.05 TTD 67.3

-3.28%

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

$328 TTD 2,198

$329 TTD 2,203

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,171 TTD 48.0K

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 TTD 392

$59.5 TTD 398

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.33 TTD 257

$38.55 TTD 258

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 986

$144 TTD 967

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 850

$127 TTD 849

0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 TTD 5,086

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 TTD 3,208

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 TTD 8,526

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)

$733 TTD 4,908

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

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

Last update for Carenage: June 1, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Carenage versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. Groceries tell a different story – $374 in Carenage vs $373 in Port of Spain – so Port of Spain 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

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

Yes – Port of Spain is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,391 per month in Carenage and $2,360 in Port of Spain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Carenage and $89.0 in Port of Spain. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Port of Spain – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Carenage, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Port of Spain at $1,573. In Carenage it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port of Spain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Carenage – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Carenage. 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.