Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and San Fernando Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and San Fernando

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,574 in Port of Spain versus $1,197 in San Fernando.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,777 in Port of Spain versus $1,968 in San Fernando.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,979 in Port of Spain versus $2,740 in San Fernando.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 32% more expensive than San Fernando, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 18% above, San Fernando is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 TTD 70.8

$10.30 TTD 70.0

1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 TTD 598

$59.2 TTD 402

48.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 TTD 49.30

$7.54 TTD 51.2

-3.71%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.50

$3.76 TTD 25.52

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

$1.06 TTD 7.17

$1.09 TTD 7.37

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.35

$0.80 TTD 5.45

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.27

$1.90 TTD 12.89

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 TTD 21.18

$2.47 TTD 16.76

26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.63

$2.00 TTD 13.56

37.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.12

$2.32 TTD 15.74

21.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 18.03

$2.57 TTD 17.44

3.50%

Eggs

$4.90 TTD 33.25

$3.77 TTD 25.58

29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.8

$8.07 TTD 54.8

-3.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 69.5

$10.36 TTD 70.3

-1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 TTD 97.8

$8.47 TTD 57.5

70.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 TTD 39.86

$5.81 TTD 39.45

1.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 30.11

$4.29 TTD 29.10

3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 33.07

$4.63 TTD 31.46

5.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.81

$1.23 TTD 8.33

17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.69

$0.77 TTD 5.23

123.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$1.46 TTD 9.90

30.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.50

$1.21 TTD 8.22

15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 TTD 40.44

$5.52 TTD 37.49

7.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 TTD 130

$17.74 TTD 120

7.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.90

$1.50 TTD 10.20

46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.58

$2.73 TTD 18.54

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.18

$0.42 TTD 2.86

152.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 TTD 657

$44.18 TTD 300

119.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.84

$0.92 TTD 6.23

9.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.34

$0.92 TTD 6.24

33.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 99.4

$14.79 TTD 100

-1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.51

$1.03 TTD 7.00

7.77%

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

$34.1K TTD 231.6K

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

-0.32%

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

$38.9K TTD 264.0K

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

0.12%

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

$81.7 TTD 555

$45.18 TTD 307

80.77%

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

$46.80 TTD 318

$42.01 TTD 285

11.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 TTD 424

$46.20 TTD 314

35.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 TTD 375

$45.57 TTD 309

21.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 TTD 88.7

$8.82 TTD 59.9

48.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 67.2

$9.12 TTD 61.9

8.55%

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

$334 TTD 2,265

$326 TTD 2,212

2.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,117 TTD 48.3K

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

219.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 409

$45.00 TTD 306

33.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.73 TTD 256

$36.74 TTD 249

2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 974

$88.3 TTD 600

62.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 875

$89.8 TTD 610

43.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 TTD 5,292

$532 TTD 3,610

46.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,216

$348 TTD 2,365

36.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 TTD 12.5K

$977 TTD 6,636

87.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 TTD 8,602

$699 TTD 4,749

81.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 TTD 29.6K

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

116.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.7K

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

14.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 TTD 4,873

$1,009 TTD 6,850

-28.86%

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 San Fernando: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $779 in Port of Spain and $532 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 41% 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 $59.0 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $329 per month, with San Fernando 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 San Fernando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, San Fernando earns 41% 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 $532 in San Fernando. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,574 per month in Port of Spain versus $1,197 in San Fernando – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Fernando runs roughly 119% less than in Port of Spain. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,197 in San Fernando versus $1,574 in Port of Spain, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando 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 San Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.