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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,573 in Port of Spain versus $1,115 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in Port of Spain versus $1,875 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,913 in Port of Spain versus $2,634 in Tobago.

Living in Port of Spain is roughly 41% more expensive than Tobago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.4

$8.99 TTD 60.2

13.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 599

$65.6 TTD 439

36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 48.97

$7.23 TTD 48.47

1.11%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.54

$3.63 TTD 24.32

0.83%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$0.92 TTD 6.13

14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.50

$0.81 TTD 5.42

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$3.67 TTD 24.58

-50.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.46

$2.88 TTD 19.30

5.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.61

$2.26 TTD 15.15

16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.16

$2.30 TTD 15.42

17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 TTD 17.16

$2.90 TTD 19.46

-11.72%

Eggs

$5.03 TTD 33.73

$4.48 TTD 30.01

12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 53.5

$7.28 TTD 48.75

9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 69.1

$7.35 TTD 49.25

40.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 95.2

$7.46 TTD 49.98

90.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.38

$6.97 TTD 46.69

-17.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.79

$2.36 TTD 15.83

6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 29.05

$2.92 TTD 19.58

48.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.28

$2.90 TTD 19.41

66.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.71

$1.21 TTD 8.11

19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.18

$1.20 TTD 8.04

39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.15

$1.59 TTD 10.67

23.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.84

$1.31 TTD 8.76

12.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.67

$4.83 TTD 32.35

19.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 TTD 121

$21.73 TTD 146

-16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.55

$3.42 TTD 22.91

-36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.07

$3.37 TTD 22.59

-15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

$0.77 TTD 5.15

37.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$0.76 TTD 5.06

38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.56

$0.77 TTD 5.18

66.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 TTD 99.9

$15.24 TTD 102

-2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.31

$1.04 TTD 6.94

4.81%

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

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

27.61%

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

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

-6.03%

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

$80.6 TTD 540

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

$45.86 TTD 307

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 410

$60.2 TTD 404

1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

$54.6 TTD 366

-1.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

$15.05 TTD 101

-12.03%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 TTD 67.3

$7.43 TTD 49.79

35.26%

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

$329 TTD 2,203

$96.9 TTD 649

239.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 398

$51.7 TTD 346

15.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 TTD 258

$46.21 TTD 310

-16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 967

$154 TTD 1,029

-5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 849

$69.9 TTD 469

81.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 TTD 5,086

$413 TTD 2,767

83.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 TTD 3,208

$341 TTD 2,283

40.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

$805 TTD 5,394

128.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 TTD 8,526

$660 TTD 4,420

92.88%

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

-0.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

-23.14%

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 Tobago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $759 in Port of Spain and $413 in Tobago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tobago pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89.0 in Port of Spain vs $66.0 in Tobago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $327 per month, with Tobago 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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tobago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tobago earns 0% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $759 in Port of Spain versus $413 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $329 in Port of Spain versus $96.9 in Tobago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tobago – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,115 in Tobago versus $1,573 in Port of Spain, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tobago but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes Tobago 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.

Safety-wise, Port of Spain and Tobago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tobago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.