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: $1,549 in Port of Spain versus $924 in St.James.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Port of Spain versus $1,643 in St.James.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,895 in Port of Spain versus $2,361 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 15% above, St.James is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 TTD 71.0

$10.18 TTD 68.8

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 604

$87.1 TTD 589

2.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 51.0

$7.49 TTD 50.6

0.67%

Cappuccino

$3.75 TTD 25.36

$3.61 TTD 24.42

3.88%

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

$1.04 TTD 7.03

$1.08 TTD 7.31

-3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TTD 5.58

$0.79 TTD 5.32

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.23

$1.81 TTD 12.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 TTD 20.48

$3.07 TTD 20.74

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 TTD 17.82

$2.76 TTD 18.68

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.30

$2.81 TTD 18.97

-3.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 TTD 17.93

$2.68 TTD 18.12

-1.12%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.06

$5.08 TTD 34.33

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 TTD 52.0

$7.81 TTD 52.8

-1.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 TTD 71.7

$10.52 TTD 71.1

0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 TTD 96.8

$14.18 TTD 95.9

0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 TTD 39.06

$5.96 TTD 40.28

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.42

$2.49 TTD 16.81

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 TTD 29.76

$4.22 TTD 28.55

4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 TTD 32.70

$4.62 TTD 31.26

4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.68

$1.50 TTD 10.15

-4.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 TTD 11.54

$1.67 TTD 11.27

2.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TTD 13.31

$1.94 TTD 13.11

1.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.55

$1.41 TTD 9.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 TTD 40.06

$5.86 TTD 39.62

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.16 TTD 123

$18.70 TTD 126

-2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 TTD 14.48

$2.17 TTD 14.68

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.54

$2.84 TTD 19.18

-3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 TTD 6.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 TTD 666

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 TTD 7.04

$1.05 TTD 7.13

-0.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.32

$1.28 TTD 8.64

-3.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.65 TTD 99.1

$15.03 TTD 102

-2.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.68

$1.11 TTD 7.50

2.70%

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

$34.0K TTD 229.7K

$33.3K TTD 225.5K

1.89%

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

$38.0K TTD 257.0K

$39.0K TTD 263.6K

-2.49%

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

$80.6 TTD 545

$81.3 TTD 549

-0.84%

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

$47.38 TTD 320

$46.23 TTD 313

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 416

$60.6 TTD 410

1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 TTD 375

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 TTD 88.2

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 TTD 67.3

$10.28 TTD 69.5

-3.11%

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

$328 TTD 2,215

$329 TTD 2,224

-0.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,186 TTD 48.6K

$7,199 TTD 48.7K

-0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 TTD 401

$60.2 TTD 407

-1.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 TTD 258

$38.56 TTD 261

-1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 974

$145 TTD 981

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 867

$130 TTD 876

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 TTD 5,137

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 TTD 12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 TTD 8,557

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 TTD 29.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$728 TTD 4,919

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 7, 2026

Last update for St.James: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $87.0 in St.James. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $376, 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 St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $2,323 in Port of Spain and $1,386 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 $328 in Port of Spain versus $329 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 $87.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in St.James versus $1,549 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.