Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and St.James Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and St.James

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,574 in Port of Spain versus $936 in St.James.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,777 in Port of Spain versus $1,628 in St.James.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,979 in Port of Spain versus $2,320 in St.James.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 68% more expensive than St.James, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 18% above, St.James is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 TTD 70.8

$10.25 TTD 69.6

1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.1 TTD 598

$89.4 TTD 607

-1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 TTD 49.30

$7.46 TTD 50.7

-2.68%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.50

$3.67 TTD 24.95

2.45%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.17

$1.09 TTD 7.39

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.35

$0.82 TTD 5.58

-3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.27

$1.83 TTD 12.41

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 TTD 21.18

$3.04 TTD 20.62

2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.63

$2.68 TTD 18.19

2.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.12

$2.81 TTD 19.07

0.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 18.03

$2.58 TTD 17.54

3.10%

Eggs

$4.90 TTD 33.25

$5.04 TTD 34.24

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.8

$7.99 TTD 54.3

-2.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 69.5

$10.50 TTD 71.3

-2.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 TTD 97.8

$14.13 TTD 95.9

1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 TTD 39.86

$5.85 TTD 39.71

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

$2.63 TTD 17.83

-3.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 30.11

$4.33 TTD 29.43

2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 33.07

$4.68 TTD 31.80

4.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.81

$1.49 TTD 10.12

-3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.69

$1.67 TTD 11.32

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$1.89 TTD 12.82

0.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.50

$1.40 TTD 9.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.96 TTD 40.44

$5.78 TTD 39.26

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.11 TTD 130

$19.31 TTD 131

-1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.90

$2.10 TTD 14.25

4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.58

$2.69 TTD 18.29

1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 TTD 657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.84

$1.05 TTD 7.13

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.34

$1.24 TTD 8.41

-0.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 99.4

$14.98 TTD 102

-2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.51

$1.15 TTD 7.79

-3.48%

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

$34.1K TTD 231.6K

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

-0.14%

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

$38.9K TTD 264.0K

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

-0.37%

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

$81.7 TTD 555

$80.0 TTD 543

2.14%

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

$46.80 TTD 318

$47.03 TTD 319

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 TTD 424

$61.6 TTD 418

1.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 TTD 375

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 67.2

$10.01 TTD 68.0

-1.10%

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

$334 TTD 2,265

$321 TTD 2,181

3.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,117 TTD 48.3K

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

-2.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 409

$59.9 TTD 407

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.73 TTD 256

$37.68 TTD 256

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 974

$143 TTD 973

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 875

$126 TTD 857

2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 TTD 5,292

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 TTD 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 TTD 8,602

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 TTD 29.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 TTD 4,873

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 St.James: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $88.0 in Port of Spain vs $89.0 in St.James for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $377 per month, with Port of Spain 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 St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St.James is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,361 in Port of Spain and $1,404 in St.James 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 $334 in Port of Spain versus $321 in St.James. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in St.James – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $88.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $936 in St.James versus $1,574 in Port of Spain, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St.James but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes St.James 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 St.James gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.