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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Port of Spain versus $760 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,759 in Port of Spain versus $1,320 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,879 in Port of Spain versus $1,880 in San Juan.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 116% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 19% above, San Juan is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 TTD 70.4

$10.41 TTD 70.2

0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 602

$58.1 TTD 392

53.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 TTD 58.7

$7.87 TTD 53.1

10.67%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.34

$3.63 TTD 24.49

3.58%

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

$1.04 TTD 7.01

$1.15 TTD 7.77

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 TTD 14.60

$2.26 TTD 15.22

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 TTD 24.70

$3.00 TTD 20.21

22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 TTD 16.59

$2.00 TTD 13.46

23.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 TTD 17.46

$2.29 TTD 15.45

13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 TTD 19.05

$2.88 TTD 19.40

-1.74%

Eggs

$4.40 TTD 29.66

$3.78 TTD 25.47

16.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 TTD 43.75

$6.80 TTD 45.87

-4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 TTD 68.0

$9.90 TTD 66.7

1.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.68 TTD 78.7

$8.68 TTD 58.5

34.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.62 TTD 37.90

$5.36 TTD 36.14

4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 TTD 21.12

$2.55 TTD 17.19

22.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 TTD 25.52

$3.76 TTD 25.36

0.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.47

$4.32 TTD 29.15

1.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 TTD 14.76

$0.76 TTD 5.11

188.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 TTD 12.85

$0.71 TTD 4.82

169.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.69

$1.44 TTD 9.74

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 TTD 9.38

$1.21 TTD 8.14

14.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 TTD 39.29

$5.63 TTD 37.94

3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 TTD 129

$17.60 TTD 119

8.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 TTD 15.52

$1.56 TTD 10.54

47.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TTD 19.84

$3.04 TTD 20.50

-3.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 TTD 9.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 TTD 906

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.84

$0.86 TTD 5.77

17.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 TTD 8.57

$0.90 TTD 6.08

41.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.6

$14.83 TTD 100.0

-1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TTD 7.81

$1.11 TTD 7.48

4.50%

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

$37.5K TTD 252.8K

$36.2K TTD 244.0K

3.60%

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

$41.2K TTD 277.6K

$41.2K TTD 277.7K

-0.02%

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

$89.5 TTD 603

$43.95 TTD 296

103.62%

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

$51.9 TTD 350

$42.65 TTD 288

21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 TTD 382

$46.19 TTD 311

22.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 TTD 377

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 TTD 88.5

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 TTD 59.1

$9.05 TTD 61.0

-3.09%

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

$405 TTD 2,731

$393 TTD 2,647

3.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K TTD 72.2K

$10.9K TTD 73.4K

-1.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 TTD 368

$55.1 TTD 371

-0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 TTD 350

$37.08 TTD 250

39.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 966

$87.6 TTD 591

63.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 TTD 687

$87.8 TTD 592

16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 TTD 6,743

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 TTD 3,524

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 TTD 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 TTD 8,047

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,316 TTD 29.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 TTD 13.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$778 TTD 5,242

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 7, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $58.0 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $317 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,459 in Port of Spain and $1,139 in San Juan 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 $405 in Port of Spain versus $393 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Juan – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $760 in San Juan versus $1,639 in Port of Spain, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.