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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,593 per month in Port of Spain vs $938 in Carenage, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,747 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,609 in Carenage, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,901 per month in Port of Spain vs $2,280 in Carenage, rent included.

Port of Spain costs about 70% more than Carenage, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Port of Spain sits 19% above the global median, while Carenage is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 TTD 70.8

$10.42 TTD 70.2

0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 TTD 604

$90.1 TTD 607

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 TTD 49.00

$7.25 TTD 48.84

0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.73 TTD 25.16

$3.62 TTD 24.42

3.04%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.42

$1.10 TTD 7.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.15

$0.84 TTD 5.65

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.83

$1.80 TTD 12.15

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 TTD 20.38

$3.03 TTD 20.45

-0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 TTD 18.28

$2.74 TTD 18.46

-1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.02

$2.80 TTD 18.85

0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.61

$2.60 TTD 17.50

0.38%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.65

$5.13 TTD 34.57

0.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.4

$7.78 TTD 52.4

-0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 TTD 71.5

$10.49 TTD 70.7

1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 TTD 96.9

$14.11 TTD 95.1

1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 39.05

$5.91 TTD 39.86

-2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.09

$2.59 TTD 17.47

-1.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.60

$4.41 TTD 29.73

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 32.83

$4.87 TTD 32.82

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.97

$1.44 TTD 9.70

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.29

$1.67 TTD 11.27

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.06

$1.94 TTD 13.10

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.55

$1.40 TTD 9.45

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.85

$6.07 TTD 40.93

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 TTD 128

$18.81 TTD 127

1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.95

$2.20 TTD 14.82

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.43

$2.78 TTD 18.75

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 TTD 7.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 TTD 667

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.86

$1.04 TTD 7.03

-1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.66

$1.23 TTD 8.31

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.5

$14.59 TTD 98.3

0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.67

$1.10 TTD 7.41

3.64%

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

$34.4K TTD 231.8K

$34.5K TTD 232.6K

-0.37%

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

$38.3K TTD 257.8K

$38.7K TTD 260.5K

-1.03%

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

$79.6 TTD 537

$80.3 TTD 541

-0.81%

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

$46.31 TTD 312

$45.73 TTD 308

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 414

$62.7 TTD 423

-2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 TTD 365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.11 TTD 88.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$10.12 TTD 68.2

1.09%

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

$330 TTD 2,225

$322 TTD 2,169

2.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,163 TTD 48.3K

$7,234 TTD 48.8K

-0.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 TTD 405

$59.4 TTD 401

1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 TTD 262

$39.03 TTD 263

-0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 967

$148 TTD 996

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 861

$130 TTD 879

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 TTD 5,155

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 TTD 3,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 TTD 8,664

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 TTD 5,188

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Carenage: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Port of Spain versus $90.0 in Carenage. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $378 – making Port of Spain 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

Port of Spain vs Carenage: 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 $2,390 per month in Port of Spain and $1,407 in Carenage. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Port of Spain and $90.0 in Carenage. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Port of Spain, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Carenage, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Port of Spain at $1,593. 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.