Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and Rio Claro Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and Rio Claro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,573 in Port of Spain versus $843 in Rio Claro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in Port of Spain versus $1,492 in Rio Claro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,913 in Port of Spain versus $2,140 in Rio Claro.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 87% more expensive than Rio Claro, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 17% above, Rio Claro is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.1

$10.33 TTD 68.9

-1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 596

$89.1 TTD 595

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 48.77

$5.13 TTD 34.27

42.50%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.44

$2.05 TTD 13.70

78.54%

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

$1.05 TTD 6.98

$0.78 TTD 5.21

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.48

$0.69 TTD 4.61

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.08

$1.59 TTD 10.59

13.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.38

$2.78 TTD 18.52

9.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.54

$2.71 TTD 18.11

-2.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.09

$2.33 TTD 15.52

16.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 TTD 17.09

$2.66 TTD 17.73

-3.76%

Eggs

$5.03 TTD 33.60

$3.50 TTD 23.33

43.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 53.3

$7.99 TTD 53.3

-0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 68.8

$10.53 TTD 70.3

-2.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 94.8

$14.41 TTD 96.2

-1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.23

$5.92 TTD 39.49

-3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.72

$2.58 TTD 17.23

-2.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 28.93

$4.33 TTD 28.92

0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.16

$4.65 TTD 31.01

3.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.67

$1.49 TTD 9.94

-2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.13

$1.64 TTD 10.96

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.10

$1.91 TTD 12.74

2.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.80

$1.42 TTD 9.45

3.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.52

$4.51 TTD 30.10

27.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 TTD 121

$18.75 TTD 125

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.50

$2.22 TTD 14.82

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.00

$2.69 TTD 17.96

5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.08

$1.51 TTD 10.11

-29.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 6.98

$1.06 TTD 7.06

-0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.53

$1.27 TTD 8.47

0.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 TTD 99.5

$15.05 TTD 100

-0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.29

$1.00 TTD 6.64

9.00%

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

$34.1K TTD 227.2K

$34.6K TTD 230.7K

-1.50%

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

$38.0K TTD 253.6K

$37.7K TTD 251.8K

0.71%

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

$80.6 TTD 538

$78.5 TTD 524

2.71%

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

$45.86 TTD 306

$46.26 TTD 309

-0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 408

$43.93 TTD 293

39.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 358

$44.53 TTD 297

20.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.3

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 TTD 67.1

$7.22 TTD 48.16

39.20%

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

$329 TTD 2,194

$326 TTD 2,175

0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,096 TTD 47.4K

$7,093 TTD 47.3K

0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 397

$44.47 TTD 297

33.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 TTD 257

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 964

$58.6 TTD 391

146.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 846

$89.7 TTD 599

41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 TTD 5,066

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 TTD 3,195

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 TTD 8,492

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 TTD 29.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,888

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 1, 2026

Last update for Rio Claro: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $89.0 in Rio Claro. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $367, with Rio Claro 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 Rio Claro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio Claro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,360 in Port of Spain and $1,265 in Rio Claro 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.

Childcare runs $329 in Port of Spain versus $326 in Rio Claro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio Claro – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $843 in Rio Claro versus $1,573 in Port of Spain, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rio Claro but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes Rio Claro 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 Rio Claro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.