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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,613 in Port of Spain versus $775 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,727 in Port of Spain versus $1,317 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,841 in Port of Spain versus $1,859 in Arouca.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 108% more expensive than in Arouca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 17% above, Arouca is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 70.1

$10.14 TTD 67.5

3.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 TTD 602

$60.0 TTD 399

50.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 TTD 58.2

$8.06 TTD 53.6

8.56%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.29

$3.79 TTD 25.23

0.26%

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

$1.05 TTD 6.99

$0.99 TTD 6.59

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.71

$0.73 TTD 4.84

-2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 TTD 15.15

$1.87 TTD 12.46

21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 TTD 24.51

$2.52 TTD 16.78

46.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 TTD 16.27

$1.99 TTD 13.26

22.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 TTD 16.72

$2.35 TTD 15.61

6.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 TTD 19.15

$2.82 TTD 18.79

2.13%

Eggs

$4.53 TTD 30.15

$3.74 TTD 24.87

21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 TTD 45.56

$6.59 TTD 43.88

3.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 TTD 67.4

$10.01 TTD 66.6

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 TTD 78.7

$9.07 TTD 60.4

30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 TTD 37.33

$5.40 TTD 35.94

3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 TTD 20.11

$2.54 TTD 16.91

18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 TTD 25.24

$3.65 TTD 24.26

3.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.41

$4.39 TTD 29.23

-2.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 TTD 14.31

$0.71 TTD 4.71

202.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 TTD 12.94

$0.73 TTD 4.84

167.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.27

$1.43 TTD 9.55

28.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.42

$1.21 TTD 8.04

17.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.30

$5.54 TTD 36.83

9.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 126

$17.82 TTD 119

6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 TTD 14.90

$1.48 TTD 9.83

51.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.79

$3.09 TTD 20.55

-3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 TTD 7.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$136 TTD 902

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 TTD 6.82

$0.91 TTD 6.09

13.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.23

$0.89 TTD 5.94

39.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 TTD 99.6

$14.87 TTD 99.0

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.79

$1.17 TTD 7.77

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

$37.4K TTD 248.8K

$37.5K TTD 249.6K

-0.30%

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

$41.7K TTD 277.6K

$40.4K TTD 269.1K

3.15%

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

$91.5 TTD 609

$43.83 TTD 292

108.81%

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

$52.4 TTD 349

$42.70 TTD 284

22.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 TTD 382

$44.62 TTD 297

28.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 TTD 380

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.12 TTD 87.3

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 TTD 58.0

$8.98 TTD 59.7

-2.90%

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

$399 TTD 2,655

$400 TTD 2,661

-0.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K TTD 73.8K

$10.3K TTD 68.3K

8.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 TTD 364

$54.3 TTD 361

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 TTD 352

$37.15 TTD 247

42.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 981

$87.2 TTD 580

69.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 685

$88.6 TTD 590

16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 TTD 6,841

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 TTD 3,449

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 TTD 14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 TTD 7,949

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 TTD 29.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,974 TTD 13.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 TTD 5,165

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 Port of Spain: September 1, 2026

Last update for Arouca: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $90.0 in Port of Spain vs $60.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $318 per month, with Arouca cheaper across the board.

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

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

Port of Spain and Arouca differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($1,613 vs $775 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,420 in Port of Spain and $1,162 in Arouca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $399 in Port of Spain versus $400 in Arouca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arouca – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $90.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $775 in Arouca versus $1,613 in Port of Spain, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arouca but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes Arouca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.