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: $1,593 in Port of Spain versus $1,355 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,747 in Port of Spain versus $2,082 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,901 in Port of Spain versus $2,810 in San Juan.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port of Spain 19% above, San Juan 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 TTD 70.8

$7.25 TTD 48.85

44.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 TTD 604

$58.2 TTD 392

53.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 TTD 49.00

$7.57 TTD 51.0

-3.96%

Cappuccino

$3.73 TTD 25.16

$3.79 TTD 25.57

-1.58%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.42

$1.10 TTD 7.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.15

$0.71 TTD 4.80

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.83

$1.90 TTD 12.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 TTD 20.38

$2.90 TTD 19.58

4.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 TTD 18.28

$2.77 TTD 18.65

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.02

$2.84 TTD 19.12

-0.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.61

$2.71 TTD 18.29

-3.69%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.65

$5.10 TTD 34.39

0.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.4

$8.07 TTD 54.4

-3.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 TTD 71.5

$10.39 TTD 70.0

2.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 TTD 96.9

$14.11 TTD 95.1

1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 39.05

$5.76 TTD 38.82

0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.09

$2.58 TTD 17.37

-1.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.60

$4.27 TTD 28.81

-0.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 32.83

$4.77 TTD 32.16

2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.97

$1.48 TTD 9.95

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.29

$1.66 TTD 11.20

0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.06

$1.96 TTD 13.22

-1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.55

$1.40 TTD 9.46

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.85

$5.92 TTD 39.92

2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 TTD 128

$19.37 TTD 131

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.95

$2.12 TTD 14.32

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.43

$2.74 TTD 18.48

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 TTD 7.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 TTD 667

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.86

$1.05 TTD 7.09

-2.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.66

$1.26 TTD 8.51

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.5

$14.93 TTD 101

-2.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.67

$1.13 TTD 7.62

0.88%

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

$34.4K TTD 231.8K

$34.1K TTD 229.7K

0.90%

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

$38.3K TTD 257.8K

$38.5K TTD 259.7K

-0.74%

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

$79.6 TTD 537

$80.0 TTD 539

-0.49%

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

$46.31 TTD 312

$47.34 TTD 319

-2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 414

$61.0 TTD 411

0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 TTD 365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.11 TTD 88.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$10.11 TTD 68.1

1.19%

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

$330 TTD 2,225

$327 TTD 2,203

1.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,163 TTD 48.3K

$7,343 TTD 49.5K

-2.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 TTD 405

$59.9 TTD 403

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 TTD 262

$38.59 TTD 260

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 967

$149 TTD 1,003

-3.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 861

$126 TTD 852

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 TTD 5,155

$744 TTD 5,013

2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 TTD 3,254

$440 TTD 2,966

9.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

$1,035 TTD 6,976

76.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 TTD 8,664

$753 TTD 5,078

70.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 TTD 5,188

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Juan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $765 in Port of Spain and $744 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90.0 in Port of Spain vs $58.0 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $378 vs $378, 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,390 in Port of Spain and $2,032 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: $765 in Port of Spain versus $744 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $330 in Port of Spain versus $327 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 $90.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,355 in San Juan versus $1,593 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.