Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and Tacarigua Cost of Living Comparison Between Port of Spain and Tacarigua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,573 in Port of Spain versus $1,151 in Tacarigua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in Port of Spain versus $2,019 in Tacarigua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,913 in Port of Spain versus $2,886 in Tacarigua.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 37% more expensive than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 17% above, Tacarigua is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.4

$10.38 TTD 69.5

-1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 599

$90.0 TTD 603

-0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 48.97

$6.56 TTD 43.98

11.43%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.54

$2.88 TTD 19.28

27.08%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.01 TTD 6.79

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.50

$0.71 TTD 4.75

15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.00 TTD 6.71

81.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.46

$3.03 TTD 20.28

0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.61

$1.87 TTD 12.55

40.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.16

$1.61 TTD 10.80

68.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 TTD 17.16

$2.67 TTD 17.92

-4.12%

Eggs

$5.03 TTD 33.73

$3.58 TTD 24.01

40.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 53.5

$3.76 TTD 25.22

112.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 69.1

$3.74 TTD 25.03

175.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 95.2

$14.25 TTD 95.5

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.38

$5.81 TTD 38.92

-1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.79

$1.61 TTD 10.78

55.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 29.05

$4.39 TTD 29.39

-1.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.28

$4.78 TTD 31.99

0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.71

$0.93 TTD 6.24

55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.18

$0.46 TTD 3.09

263.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.15

$1.51 TTD 10.15

29.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.84

$1.40 TTD 9.39

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.67

$5.79 TTD 38.80

-0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 TTD 121

$18.42 TTD 123

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.55

$2.13 TTD 14.28

1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.07

$2.82 TTD 18.87

1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

$1.00 TTD 6.73

6.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.01 TTD 6.77

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.56

$1.24 TTD 8.30

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 TTD 99.9

$14.72 TTD 98.6

1.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.31

$0.46 TTD 3.08

136.96%

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

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

$33.9K TTD 227.3K

0.36%

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

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

$32.1K TTD 215.3K

18.25%

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

$80.6 TTD 540

$80.1 TTD 537

0.64%

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

$45.86 TTD 307

$47.20 TTD 316

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 410

$36.74 TTD 246

66.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

$52.7 TTD 353

1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 TTD 67.3

$7.30 TTD 48.93

37.67%

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

$329 TTD 2,203

$325 TTD 2,174

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

$7,108 TTD 47.6K

-0.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 398

$30.05 TTD 201

97.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 TTD 258

$29.81 TTD 200

29.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 967

$74.5 TTD 499

93.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 849

$44.75 TTD 300

183.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 TTD 5,086

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 TTD 3,208

$367 TTD 2,461

30.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 TTD 8,526

$889 TTD 5,955

43.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 TTD 29.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,908

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 1, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $90.0 in Tacarigua. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $292, with Tacarigua 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 Tacarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacarigua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,360 in Port of Spain and $1,727 in Tacarigua 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 Tacarigua. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacarigua – a meal for two runs $90.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,151 in Tacarigua versus $1,573 in Port of Spain, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tacarigua but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes Tacarigua 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 Tacarigua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.