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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,578 in Port of Spain versus $1,251 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,773 in Port of Spain versus $2,023 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,968 in Port of Spain versus $2,794 in Chaguanas.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 26% more expensive than in Chaguanas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 19% above, Chaguanas is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 TTD 69.2

$7.36 TTD 49.42

39.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 600

$88.9 TTD 597

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 TTD 48.51

$7.49 TTD 50.3

-3.60%

Cappuccino

$3.62 TTD 24.30

$3.12 TTD 20.93

16.03%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.35

$1.04 TTD 6.99

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 TTD 5.64

$0.76 TTD 5.12

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.27

$1.83 TTD 12.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 TTD 21.11

$2.63 TTD 17.69

19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 TTD 17.77

$2.55 TTD 17.13

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 TTD 18.42

$2.22 TTD 14.91

23.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.24

$2.69 TTD 18.09

-4.46%

Eggs

$5.06 TTD 33.95

$4.10 TTD 27.56

23.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 TTD 52.6

$7.76 TTD 52.1

0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 TTD 69.8

$9.16 TTD 61.5

13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 TTD 95.6

$12.47 TTD 83.8

14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 TTD 38.58

$4.67 TTD 31.37

22.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.09

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.75

$3.68 TTD 24.71

20.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 TTD 31.27

$4.42 TTD 29.68

5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.89

$1.45 TTD 9.72

1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 TTD 11.66

$1.74 TTD 11.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$1.44 TTD 9.67

31.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.80

$1.24 TTD 8.33

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.99 TTD 40.23

$4.60 TTD 30.86

30.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.46 TTD 131

$20.17 TTD 135

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 TTD 14.28

$2.14 TTD 14.35

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 18.95

$2.70 TTD 18.10

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 TTD 6.72

$1.29 TTD 8.65

-22.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 TTD 662

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.78

$1.01 TTD 6.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.30

$1.07 TTD 7.19

15.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 TTD 100

$15.04 TTD 101

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.42

$0.91 TTD 6.09

21.98%

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

$33.4K TTD 224.3K

$32.8K TTD 220.3K

1.82%

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

$37.8K TTD 253.8K

$36.8K TTD 246.9K

2.80%

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

$79.2 TTD 532

$80.8 TTD 542

-1.93%

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

$45.77 TTD 307

$47.42 TTD 318

-3.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 TTD 417

$50.8 TTD 341

22.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 366

$43.79 TTD 294

24.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.90 TTD 86.6

$29.35 TTD 197

-56.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 TTD 66.2

$8.74 TTD 58.7

12.70%

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

$329 TTD 2,210

$318 TTD 2,133

3.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,350 TTD 49.4K

$7,344 TTD 49.3K

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 TTD 391

$56.1 TTD 377

3.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.65 TTD 260

$38.92 TTD 261

-0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 980

$136 TTD 910

7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 862

$116 TTD 781

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 TTD 5,088

$427 TTD 2,864

77.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 TTD 3,202

$384 TTD 2,579

24.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 TTD 12.2K

$636 TTD 4,274

185.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 TTD 8,371

$547 TTD 3,676

127.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,394 TTD 29.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 TTD 5,041

$778 TTD 5,222

-3.47%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Port of Spain and $427 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $89.0 in Chaguanas. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $342, with Chaguanas cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chaguanas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaguanas wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Port of Spain. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chaguanas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Chaguanas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $758 in Port of Spain versus $427 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Port of Spain. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,578 per month in Port of Spain versus $1,251 in Chaguanas – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,251 in Chaguanas versus $1,578 in Port of Spain, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chaguanas but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes Chaguanas 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.

Safety-wise, Port of Spain and Chaguanas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chaguanas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.