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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,659 in Port of Spain versus $772 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Port of Spain versus $1,324 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,944 in Port of Spain versus $1,875 in Marabella.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 115% more expensive than in Marabella, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 21% above, Marabella is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 TTD 70.1

$10.51 TTD 70.7

-0.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 600

$59.2 TTD 398

50.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 TTD 59.4

$7.95 TTD 53.5

11.07%

Cappuccino

$3.69 TTD 24.80

$3.83 TTD 25.75

-3.66%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.72

$1.05 TTD 7.04

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$0.75 TTD 5.06

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 TTD 14.48

$1.79 TTD 12.06

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 TTD 25.25

$2.62 TTD 17.63

43.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 TTD 16.90

$1.96 TTD 13.20

28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 TTD 17.39

$2.24 TTD 15.05

15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 TTD 19.06

$2.79 TTD 18.80

1.43%

Eggs

$4.27 TTD 28.76

$3.85 TTD 25.89

10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 TTD 44.43

$6.82 TTD 45.90

-3.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 TTD 68.7

$9.93 TTD 66.8

2.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 TTD 78.9

$9.09 TTD 61.1

28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.05

$5.61 TTD 37.74

0.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 TTD 21.06

$2.46 TTD 16.57

27.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 TTD 25.37

$3.78 TTD 25.40

-0.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.62

$4.35 TTD 29.25

-2.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 TTD 14.64

$0.71 TTD 4.80

207.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 TTD 12.87

$0.70 TTD 4.74

172.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 TTD 12.44

$1.43 TTD 9.65

29.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TTD 9.09

$1.15 TTD 7.71

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.99 TTD 40.29

$5.52 TTD 37.13

8.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 TTD 129

$17.55 TTD 118

9.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 TTD 15.65

$1.48 TTD 9.96

57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.98

$3.07 TTD 20.63

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 TTD 8.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 TTD 877

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$0.92 TTD 6.21

9.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 TTD 8.24

$0.91 TTD 6.11

34.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.54 TTD 97.8

$14.83 TTD 99.8

-1.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.47

$1.17 TTD 7.89

-5.13%

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

$37.1K TTD 249.7K

$37.0K TTD 249.3K

0.16%

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

$41.6K TTD 279.6K

$41.3K TTD 277.8K

0.65%

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

$92.1 TTD 620

$43.95 TTD 296

109.58%

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

$52.2 TTD 351

$42.94 TTD 289

21.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 TTD 386

$44.80 TTD 301

28.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 TTD 379

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 TTD 88.3

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 TTD 59.9

$8.88 TTD 59.8

0.23%

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

$391 TTD 2,632

$405 TTD 2,722

-3.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.4K

$10.8K TTD 72.8K

-0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 TTD 361

$54.9 TTD 369

-2.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 TTD 346

$36.50 TTD 246

41.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 963

$86.8 TTD 584

64.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 TTD 706

$86.8 TTD 584

20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 TTD 6,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 TTD 3,506

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 TTD 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 TTD 7,955

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,348 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,010 TTD 13.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$775 TTD 5,212

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 13, 2026

Last update for Marabella: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $59.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $317 per month, with Marabella cheaper across the board.

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 Marabella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port of Spain and Marabella differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,659 vs $772 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Port of Spain and $1,159 in Marabella to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Port of Spain. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,659 per month in Port of Spain versus $772 in Marabella – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $772 in Marabella versus $1,659 in Port of Spain, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marabella but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes Marabella 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.

Expats usually find Marabella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.