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: $1,574 in Port of Spain versus $1,291 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,777 in Port of Spain versus $2,025 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,979 in Port of Spain versus $2,760 in Chaguanas.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 22% more expensive than Chaguanas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 18% above, Chaguanas is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 TTD 70.8

$7.28 TTD 49.42

43.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 TTD 598

$90.0 TTD 611

-2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 TTD 49.30

$7.55 TTD 51.2

-3.84%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.50

$3.05 TTD 20.70

23.28%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.17

$1.08 TTD 7.37

-1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.35

$0.77 TTD 5.23

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.27

$1.88 TTD 12.78

-3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 TTD 21.18

$2.65 TTD 17.96

17.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.63

$2.69 TTD 18.30

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.12

$2.30 TTD 15.62

22.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 18.03

$2.67 TTD 18.14

-0.37%

Eggs

$4.90 TTD 33.25

$4.03 TTD 27.38

21.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.8

$7.83 TTD 53.1

-0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 69.5

$9.45 TTD 64.2

8.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 TTD 97.8

$12.34 TTD 83.8

16.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 TTD 39.86

$4.50 TTD 30.54

30.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

$2.60 TTD 17.65

-1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 30.11

$3.70 TTD 25.15

19.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 33.07

$4.45 TTD 30.21

9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.81

$1.47 TTD 10.01

-2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.69

$1.70 TTD 11.57

1.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$1.49 TTD 10.14

27.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.50

$1.23 TTD 8.35

13.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 TTD 40.44

$4.63 TTD 31.45

28.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 TTD 130

$17.53 TTD 119

9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.90

$2.17 TTD 14.74

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.58

$2.82 TTD 19.12

-2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.18

$1.24 TTD 8.43

-14.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 TTD 657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.84

$1.00 TTD 6.81

1.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.34

$1.04 TTD 7.05

18.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 99.4

$15.07 TTD 102

-2.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.51

$0.97 TTD 6.57

14.43%

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

$34.1K TTD 231.6K

$33.2K TTD 225.4K

2.76%

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

$38.9K TTD 264.0K

$36.2K TTD 246.1K

7.26%

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

$81.7 TTD 555

$80.8 TTD 549

1.05%

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

$46.80 TTD 318

$46.53 TTD 316

0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 TTD 424

$51.8 TTD 351

20.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 TTD 375

$43.92 TTD 298

25.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 TTD 88.7

$29.38 TTD 200

-55.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 67.2

$8.90 TTD 60.4

11.24%

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

$334 TTD 2,265

$319 TTD 2,164

4.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,117 TTD 48.3K

$7,197 TTD 48.9K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 409

$54.7 TTD 371

10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.73 TTD 256

$38.52 TTD 262

-2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 974

$134 TTD 910

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 875

$118 TTD 799

9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 TTD 5,292

$439 TTD 2,978

77.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,216

$378 TTD 2,563

25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 TTD 12.5K

$634 TTD 4,303

189.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 TTD 8,602

$536 TTD 3,638

136.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 TTD 29.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 TTD 4,873

$943 TTD 6,405

-23.92%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $779 in Port of Spain and $439 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88.0 in Port of Spain vs $90.0 in Chaguanas. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 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 22% 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 31% 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: $779 in Port of Spain versus $439 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Port of Spain. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,574 per month in Port of Spain versus $1,291 in Chaguanas – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,291 in Chaguanas versus $1,574 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 22% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.