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: $1,573 in Port of Spain versus $1,334 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in Port of Spain versus $2,070 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,913 in Port of Spain versus $2,807 in San Juan.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 18% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port of Spain 17% above, San Juan 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.4

$7.55 TTD 50.6

35.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 599

$59.2 TTD 397

50.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 48.97

$7.28 TTD 48.77

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.54

$3.67 TTD 24.61

-0.27%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.08 TTD 7.24

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.50

$0.71 TTD 4.79

15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.46

$2.97 TTD 19.90

2.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.61

$2.73 TTD 18.27

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.16

$2.68 TTD 17.95

1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 TTD 17.16

$2.69 TTD 17.99

-4.83%

Eggs

$5.03 TTD 33.73

$5.14 TTD 34.42

-2.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 53.5

$8.12 TTD 54.4

-1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 69.1

$10.52 TTD 70.5

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 95.2

$14.07 TTD 94.3

1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.38

$5.66 TTD 37.91

1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.79

$2.51 TTD 16.82

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 29.05

$4.26 TTD 28.52

1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.28

$4.70 TTD 31.48

2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.71

$1.43 TTD 9.55

1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.18

$1.68 TTD 11.24

-0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.15

$1.88 TTD 12.60

4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.84

$1.40 TTD 9.40

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.67

$6.00 TTD 40.23

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 TTD 121

$18.56 TTD 124

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.55

$2.19 TTD 14.65

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.07

$2.69 TTD 18.03

5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.01 TTD 6.79

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.56

$1.23 TTD 8.26

4.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 TTD 99.9

$14.85 TTD 99.5

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.31

$1.10 TTD 7.36

-0.91%

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

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

-1.59%

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

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

-1.71%

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

$80.6 TTD 540

$81.1 TTD 543

-0.53%

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

$45.86 TTD 307

$47.47 TTD 318

-3.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 410

$61.1 TTD 409

0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 TTD 67.3

$9.90 TTD 66.3

1.52%

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

$329 TTD 2,203

$324 TTD 2,172

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

-3.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 398

$58.8 TTD 394

1.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 TTD 258

$38.82 TTD 260

-0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 967

$149 TTD 997

-2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 849

$127 TTD 852

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 TTD 5,086

$737 TTD 4,937

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 TTD 3,208

$452 TTD 3,026

6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

$1,052 TTD 7,051

74.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 TTD 8,526

$744 TTD 4,988

70.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 TTD 29.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,908

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 San Juan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $759 in Port of Spain and $737 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $59.0 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $374, with Port of Spain 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 San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,360 in Port of Spain and $2,001 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $759 in Port of Spain versus $737 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $329 in Port of Spain versus $324 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 $59.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,334 in San Juan versus $1,573 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 18% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.