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: $1,578 in Port of Spain versus $914 in St.James.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,773 in Port of Spain versus $1,615 in St.James.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,968 in Port of Spain versus $2,317 in St.James.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 73% more expensive than in St.James, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 19% above, St.James is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 TTD 69.2

$10.37 TTD 69.7

-0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 600

$89.0 TTD 598

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 TTD 48.51

$7.52 TTD 50.5

-3.99%

Cappuccino

$3.62 TTD 24.30

$3.64 TTD 24.41

-0.55%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.35

$1.05 TTD 7.02

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 TTD 5.64

$0.78 TTD 5.26

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.27

$1.81 TTD 12.13

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 TTD 21.11

$3.17 TTD 21.30

-0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 TTD 17.77

$2.69 TTD 18.06

-1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 TTD 18.42

$2.81 TTD 18.85

-2.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.24

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-1.91%

Eggs

$5.06 TTD 33.95

$5.04 TTD 33.86

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 TTD 52.6

$8.02 TTD 53.8

-2.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 TTD 69.8

$10.23 TTD 68.7

1.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 TTD 95.6

$14.14 TTD 95.0

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 TTD 38.58

$5.94 TTD 39.87

-3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.09

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.75

$4.43 TTD 29.76

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 TTD 31.27

$4.80 TTD 32.26

-2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.89

$1.44 TTD 9.64

2.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 TTD 11.66

$1.72 TTD 11.57

1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$1.91 TTD 12.82

-0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.80

$1.40 TTD 9.37

4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.99 TTD 40.23

$5.85 TTD 39.31

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.46 TTD 131

$19.42 TTD 130

0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 TTD 14.28

$2.20 TTD 14.77

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 18.95

$2.72 TTD 18.28

3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 TTD 6.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 TTD 662

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.78

$1.02 TTD 6.84

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.30

$1.28 TTD 8.63

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 TTD 100

$15.00 TTD 101

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.42

$1.09 TTD 7.32

1.83%

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

$33.4K TTD 224.3K

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

-1.76%

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

$37.8K TTD 253.8K

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

-2.14%

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

$79.2 TTD 532

$79.3 TTD 532

-0.05%

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

$45.77 TTD 307

$46.15 TTD 310

-0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 TTD 417

$62.4 TTD 419

-0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 366

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.90 TTD 86.6

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 TTD 66.2

$10.11 TTD 67.9

-2.57%

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

$329 TTD 2,210

$325 TTD 2,184

1.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,350 TTD 49.4K

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 TTD 391

$58.9 TTD 395

-1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.65 TTD 260

$37.85 TTD 254

2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 980

$144 TTD 965

1.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 862

$129 TTD 867

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 TTD 5,088

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 TTD 3,202

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 TTD 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 TTD 8,371

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,394 TTD 29.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 TTD 5,041

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 25, 2026

Last update for St.James: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $89.0 in St.James for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $378 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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,367 in Port of Spain and $1,370 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 $329 in Port of Spain versus $325 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 $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $914 in St.James versus $1,578 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 73% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.