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: $1,549 in Port of Spain versus $1,263 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Port of Spain versus $2,026 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,895 in Port of Spain versus $2,789 in Chaguanas.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 23% more expensive than Chaguanas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 15% above, Chaguanas is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 TTD 71.0

$7.18 TTD 48.53

46.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 604

$90.1 TTD 609

-0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 51.0

$7.32 TTD 49.49

3.01%

Cappuccino

$3.75 TTD 25.36

$3.15 TTD 21.28

19.05%

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

$1.04 TTD 7.03

$1.05 TTD 7.09

-0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TTD 5.58

$0.83 TTD 5.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 TTD 20.48

$2.68 TTD 18.13

13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 TTD 17.82

$2.64 TTD 17.86

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.30

$2.18 TTD 14.72

24.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 TTD 17.93

$2.70 TTD 18.24

-1.85%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.06

$4.18 TTD 28.25

20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 TTD 52.0

$8.11 TTD 54.9

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 TTD 71.7

$9.15 TTD 61.9

15.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 TTD 96.8

$12.68 TTD 85.7

12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 TTD 39.06

$4.60 TTD 31.07

25.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.42

$2.61 TTD 17.67

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 TTD 29.76

$3.58 TTD 24.21

22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 TTD 32.70

$4.39 TTD 29.67

10.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.68

$1.43 TTD 9.65

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 TTD 11.54

$1.66 TTD 11.22

3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TTD 13.31

$1.52 TTD 10.26

29.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.55

$1.24 TTD 8.37

13.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 TTD 40.06

$4.76 TTD 32.16

24.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.16 TTD 123

$18.32 TTD 124

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 TTD 14.48

$2.10 TTD 14.22

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.54

$2.72 TTD 18.38

0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 TTD 6.77

$1.29 TTD 8.71

-22.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 TTD 666

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 TTD 7.04

$1.06 TTD 7.14

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.32

$1.07 TTD 7.21

14.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.65 TTD 99.1

$14.68 TTD 99.2

-0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.68

$0.96 TTD 6.48

18.75%

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

$34.0K TTD 229.7K

$33.1K TTD 223.5K

2.80%

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

$38.0K TTD 257.0K

$37.1K TTD 250.6K

2.57%

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

$80.6 TTD 545

$79.2 TTD 536

1.70%

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

$47.38 TTD 320

$47.23 TTD 319

0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 416

$51.6 TTD 349

19.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 TTD 375

$44.85 TTD 303

23.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 TTD 88.2

$29.40 TTD 199

-55.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 TTD 67.3

$9.08 TTD 61.4

9.69%

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

$328 TTD 2,215

$316 TTD 2,139

3.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 TTD 48.6K

$7,267 TTD 49.1K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 TTD 401

$56.3 TTD 380

5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 TTD 258

$37.88 TTD 256

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 974

$136 TTD 922

5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 867

$121 TTD 816

6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 TTD 5,137

$435 TTD 2,938

74.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,203

$385 TTD 2,601

23.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 TTD 12.3K

$612 TTD 4,139

197.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 TTD 8,557

$547 TTD 3,698

131.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 TTD 29.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$728 TTD 4,919

$803 TTD 5,426

-9.34%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Port of Spain and $435 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 10% 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 $90.0 in Chaguanas. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $340, 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 23% 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, Chaguanas earns 10% less. 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: $760 in Port of Spain versus $435 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 $1,549 per month in Port of Spain versus $1,263 in Chaguanas – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,263 in Chaguanas versus $1,549 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 23% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.