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 $1,613 per month in Port of Spain vs $776 in Carenage, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,315 in Carenage, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,841 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,853 in Carenage, rent included.

Port of Spain costs about 108% more than Carenage, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Port of Spain sits 17% above the global median, while Carenage is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 70.1

$10.27 TTD 68.3

2.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 TTD 602

$58.7 TTD 391

54.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 TTD 58.2

$8.29 TTD 55.2

5.55%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.29

$3.67 TTD 24.40

3.54%

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

$0.77 TTD 5.14

-7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 TTD 15.15

$1.86 TTD 12.38

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 TTD 24.51

$2.56 TTD 17.04

43.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 TTD 16.27

$2.00 TTD 13.30

22.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 TTD 16.72

$2.29 TTD 15.27

9.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 TTD 19.15

$2.89 TTD 19.24

-0.35%

Eggs

$4.53 TTD 30.15

$3.85 TTD 25.60

17.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 TTD 45.56

$6.52 TTD 43.39

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 TTD 67.4

$9.89 TTD 65.8

2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 TTD 78.7

$8.91 TTD 59.3

32.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 TTD 37.33

$5.61 TTD 37.31

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 TTD 20.11

$2.44 TTD 16.24

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 TTD 25.24

$3.60 TTD 23.93

5.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.41

$4.18 TTD 27.83

2.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 TTD 14.31

$0.72 TTD 4.82

198.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 TTD 12.94

$0.72 TTD 4.81

170.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.27

$1.51 TTD 10.06

21.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.42

$1.15 TTD 7.67

23.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.30

$5.72 TTD 38.04

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 126

$17.54 TTD 117

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 TTD 14.90

$1.47 TTD 9.82

52.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.79

$2.96 TTD 19.71

0.34%

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

$0.89 TTD 5.94

15.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.23

$0.85 TTD 5.66

45.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 TTD 99.6

$14.46 TTD 96.2

3.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.79

$1.16 TTD 7.73

0.86%

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

$37.4K TTD 248.8K

$36.2K TTD 241.0K

3.24%

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

$41.7K TTD 277.6K

$41.9K TTD 278.9K

-0.49%

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

$91.5 TTD 609

$43.96 TTD 293

108.19%

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

$52.4 TTD 349

$42.53 TTD 283

23.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 TTD 382

$45.95 TTD 306

25.09%

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

$8.86 TTD 59.0

-1.58%

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

$399 TTD 2,655

$397 TTD 2,640

0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K TTD 73.8K

$10.5K TTD 69.8K

5.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 TTD 364

$54.6 TTD 363

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 TTD 352

$36.30 TTD 242

45.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 981

$87.5 TTD 582

68.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 685

$87.7 TTD 584

17.38%

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 Carenage: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Port of Spain versus $59.0 in Carenage. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $315 – making Carenage 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 108%, 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 $2,420 per month in Port of Spain and $1,165 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 $59.0 in Carenage. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $776, than in Port of Spain at $1,613. 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.