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: $1,593 in Port of Spain versus $1,153 in Tacarigua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,747 in Port of Spain versus $2,001 in Tacarigua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,901 in Port of Spain versus $2,849 in Tacarigua.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 38% more expensive than in Tacarigua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port of Spain is 19% above, Tacarigua is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 TTD 70.8

$10.48 TTD 70.6

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 TTD 604

$87.4 TTD 589

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 TTD 49.00

$6.55 TTD 44.16

10.99%

Cappuccino

$3.73 TTD 25.16

$3.03 TTD 20.44

23.10%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.42

$1.00 TTD 6.74

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.15

$0.72 TTD 4.85

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.83

$1.05 TTD 7.04

80.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 TTD 20.38

$3.19 TTD 21.50

-5.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 TTD 18.28

$1.95 TTD 13.13

38.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.02

$1.60 TTD 10.78

76.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.61

$2.62 TTD 17.64

-0.38%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.65

$3.57 TTD 24.04

43.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.4

$3.74 TTD 25.23

107.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 TTD 71.5

$3.68 TTD 24.78

188.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 TTD 96.9

$14.18 TTD 95.6

1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 39.05

$5.71 TTD 38.50

1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.09

$1.66 TTD 11.15

53.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.60

$4.21 TTD 28.38

0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 32.83

$4.65 TTD 31.33

4.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.97

$1.00 TTD 6.72

48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.29

$0.45 TTD 3.04

271.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.06

$1.46 TTD 9.87

32.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.55

$1.41 TTD 9.53

0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.85

$5.75 TTD 38.78

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 TTD 128

$19.08 TTD 129

-0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.95

$2.14 TTD 14.40

3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.43

$2.83 TTD 19.07

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 TTD 7.05

$1.06 TTD 7.12

-0.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 TTD 667

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.86

$1.00 TTD 6.75

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.66

$1.21 TTD 8.19

6.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.5

$14.51 TTD 97.8

0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.67

$0.42 TTD 2.86

171.43%

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

$34.4K TTD 231.8K

$33.4K TTD 224.9K

3.07%

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

$38.3K TTD 257.8K

$32.3K TTD 217.5K

18.52%

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

$79.6 TTD 537

$80.3 TTD 541

-0.85%

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

$46.31 TTD 312

$46.50 TTD 313

-0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 414

$36.75 TTD 248

67.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 TTD 365

$50.8 TTD 342

6.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.11 TTD 88.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$7.61 TTD 51.3

34.43%

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

$330 TTD 2,225

$327 TTD 2,205

0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,163 TTD 48.3K

$7,296 TTD 49.2K

-1.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 TTD 405

$29.83 TTD 201

101.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 TTD 262

$29.35 TTD 198

32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 967

$72.7 TTD 490

97.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 861

$45.20 TTD 305

182.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 TTD 5,155

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 TTD 3,254

$371 TTD 2,498

30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 TTD 8,664

$889 TTD 5,990

44.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 TTD 5,188

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 13, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $90.0 in Port of Spain vs $87.0 in Tacarigua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $292 per month, with Tacarigua 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 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,390 in Port of Spain and $1,729 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 $330 in Port of Spain versus $327 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 $87.0 versus $90.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,153 in Tacarigua versus $1,593 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 38% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.