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: $1,573 in Port of Spain versus $947 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in Port of Spain versus $1,653 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,913 in Port of Spain versus $2,359 in Arouca.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 66% more expensive than Arouca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 17% above, Arouca is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.4

$10.22 TTD 68.5

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 599

$89.7 TTD 601

-0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 48.97

$7.19 TTD 48.19

1.67%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.54

$3.67 TTD 24.57

-0.27%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.06 TTD 7.09

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.50

$0.78 TTD 5.20

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.83 TTD 12.24

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.46

$3.03 TTD 20.29

0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.61

$2.67 TTD 17.86

-1.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.16

$2.72 TTD 18.21

-0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 TTD 17.16

$2.57 TTD 17.22

-0.39%

Eggs

$5.03 TTD 33.73

$5.04 TTD 33.78

-0.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 53.5

$7.79 TTD 52.2

2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 69.1

$10.32 TTD 69.1

-0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 95.2

$14.13 TTD 94.7

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.38

$5.85 TTD 39.23

-2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.79

$2.63 TTD 17.61

-4.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 29.05

$4.20 TTD 28.14

3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.28

$4.68 TTD 31.33

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.71

$1.42 TTD 9.55

2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.18

$1.66 TTD 11.13

0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.15

$1.91 TTD 12.78

2.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.84

$1.45 TTD 9.71

1.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.67

$5.77 TTD 38.62

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 TTD 121

$18.63 TTD 125

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.55

$2.12 TTD 14.18

2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.07

$2.73 TTD 18.26

4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.04 TTD 6.97

0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.56

$1.23 TTD 8.24

4.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 TTD 99.9

$14.53 TTD 97.3

2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.31

$1.14 TTD 7.63

-4.39%

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

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

$34.1K TTD 228.8K

-0.28%

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

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

$39.0K TTD 261.0K

-2.44%

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

$80.6 TTD 540

$81.2 TTD 544

-0.63%

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

$45.86 TTD 307

$45.98 TTD 308

-0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 410

$62.6 TTD 420

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 TTD 67.3

$10.28 TTD 68.8

-2.24%

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

$329 TTD 2,203

$329 TTD 2,207

-0.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

$7,066 TTD 47.3K

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 398

$59.5 TTD 399

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 TTD 258

$38.43 TTD 257

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 967

$145 TTD 969

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 849

$130 TTD 871

-2.46%

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 Port of Spain: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arouca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $90.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $373 per month, with Port of Spain 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,573 vs $947 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,360 in Port of Spain and $1,420 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 $329 in Port of Spain versus $329 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 $90.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $947 in Arouca versus $1,573 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 66% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.