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: $1,574 in Port of Spain versus $943 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,777 in Port of Spain versus $1,641 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,979 in Port of Spain versus $2,339 in Marabella.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 67% more expensive than Marabella, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 18% above, Marabella is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 TTD 70.8

$10.24 TTD 69.5

1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 TTD 598

$89.1 TTD 605

-1.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 TTD 49.30

$7.54 TTD 51.2

-3.71%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.50

$3.78 TTD 25.69

-0.53%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.17

$1.10 TTD 7.47

-3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.35

$0.76 TTD 5.18

3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.27

$1.82 TTD 12.34

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 TTD 21.18

$3.03 TTD 20.61

2.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.63

$2.74 TTD 18.60

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.12

$2.74 TTD 18.59

2.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 18.03

$2.56 TTD 17.40

3.91%

Eggs

$4.90 TTD 33.25

$4.91 TTD 33.34

-0.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.8

$7.79 TTD 52.9

-0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 69.5

$10.38 TTD 70.5

-1.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 TTD 97.8

$14.57 TTD 98.9

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 TTD 39.86

$5.69 TTD 38.61

3.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

$2.52 TTD 17.13

1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 30.11

$4.43 TTD 30.08

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 33.07

$4.81 TTD 32.63

1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.81

$1.44 TTD 9.79

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.69

$1.73 TTD 11.71

-0.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$1.97 TTD 13.38

-3.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.50

$1.47 TTD 9.98

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 TTD 40.44

$6.03 TTD 40.97

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 TTD 130

$19.73 TTD 134

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.90

$2.12 TTD 14.38

3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.58

$2.76 TTD 18.73

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 TTD 657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.84

$1.06 TTD 7.18

-4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.34

$1.24 TTD 8.41

-0.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 99.4

$14.59 TTD 99.1

0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.51

$1.14 TTD 7.74

-2.63%

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

$34.1K TTD 231.6K

$34.1K TTD 231.3K

0.13%

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

$38.9K TTD 264.0K

$37.8K TTD 256.8K

2.79%

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

$81.7 TTD 555

$79.1 TTD 537

3.22%

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

$46.80 TTD 318

$47.09 TTD 320

-0.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 TTD 424

$60.8 TTD 413

2.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 TTD 375

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 67.2

$9.96 TTD 67.6

-0.60%

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

$334 TTD 2,265

$328 TTD 2,228

1.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,117 TTD 48.3K

$7,263 TTD 49.3K

-2.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 409

$59.3 TTD 402

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.73 TTD 256

$37.90 TTD 257

-0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 974

$148 TTD 1,003

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 875

$126 TTD 859

1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 TTD 5,292

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 TTD 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 TTD 8,602

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

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 Marabella: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $88.0 in Port of Spain vs $89.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $378 per month, with Port of Spain 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,574 vs $943 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,361 in Port of Spain and $1,414 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.

Shoppers in Port of Spain pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,574 per month in Port of Spain versus $943 in Marabella – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Marabella versus $1,574 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 67% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.