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: $1,659 in Port of Spain versus $925 in St.James.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Port of Spain versus $1,586 in St.James.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,944 in Port of Spain versus $2,247 in St.James.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 79% more expensive than in St.James, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 21% above, St.James is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 TTD 70.1

$10.49 TTD 70.6

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 600

$87.5 TTD 589

1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 TTD 59.4

$9.07 TTD 61.0

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$3.69 TTD 24.80

$3.69 TTD 24.83

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

$1.00 TTD 6.72

$1.00 TTD 6.75

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$0.76 TTD 5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 TTD 14.48

$2.27 TTD 15.27

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 TTD 25.25

$3.60 TTD 24.21

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 TTD 16.90

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 TTD 17.39

$2.48 TTD 16.67

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 TTD 19.06

$2.85 TTD 19.17

-0.70%

Eggs

$4.27 TTD 28.76

$4.30 TTD 28.92

-0.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 TTD 44.43

$6.50 TTD 43.73

1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 TTD 68.7

$9.97 TTD 67.1

2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 TTD 78.9

$11.64 TTD 78.3

0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.05

$5.60 TTD 37.69

1.07%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 TTD 21.06

$3.12 TTD 20.99

0.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 TTD 25.37

$3.72 TTD 25.01

1.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.62

$4.17 TTD 28.04

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 TTD 14.64

$2.21 TTD 14.88

-1.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 TTD 12.87

$1.93 TTD 13.00

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 TTD 12.44

$1.84 TTD 12.37

0.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TTD 9.09

$1.34 TTD 9.01

0.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.99 TTD 40.29

$6.02 TTD 40.50

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.14 TTD 129

$18.94 TTD 127

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 TTD 15.65

$2.21 TTD 14.88

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.98

$2.99 TTD 20.10

-0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 TTD 8.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 TTD 877

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$1.05 TTD 7.07

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 TTD 8.24

$1.24 TTD 8.34

-1.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.54 TTD 97.8

$14.61 TTD 98.3

-0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.47

$1.17 TTD 7.85

-5.13%

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

$37.1K TTD 249.7K

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

-0.99%

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

$41.6K TTD 279.6K

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

2.91%

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

$92.1 TTD 620

$91.7 TTD 617

0.43%

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

$52.2 TTD 351

$52.6 TTD 354

-0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 TTD 386

$56.1 TTD 377

2.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 TTD 379

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 TTD 88.3

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 TTD 59.9

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

$391 TTD 2,632

$404 TTD 2,716

-3.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.4K

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

-0.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 TTD 361

$54.3 TTD 365

-1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 TTD 346

$52.0 TTD 350

-1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 963

$146 TTD 985

-2.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 TTD 706

$103 TTD 691

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 TTD 6,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 TTD 3,506

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 TTD 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 TTD 7,955

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,348 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,010 TTD 13.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$775 TTD 5,212

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Port of Spain: September 13, 2026

Last update for St.James: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $88.0 in St.James for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $354 per month, with St.James 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Port of Spain and $1,387 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 $391 in Port of Spain versus $404 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 $88.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $925 in St.James versus $1,659 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 79% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.