Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Port of Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Port of Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in San Fernando versus $1,574 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,968 in San Fernando versus $2,777 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,740 in San Fernando versus $3,979 in Port of Spain.

Living in San Fernando costs roughly 24% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Fernando is 11% below, Port of Spain is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 TTD 70.0

$10.42 TTD 70.8

-1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 402

$88.1 TTD 598

-32.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 51.2

$7.26 TTD 49.30

3.86%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.52

$3.76 TTD 25.50

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

$1.09 TTD 7.37

$1.06 TTD 7.17

2.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 TTD 5.45

$0.79 TTD 5.35

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.89

$1.81 TTD 12.27

4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 TTD 16.76

$3.12 TTD 21.18

-20.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 TTD 13.56

$2.74 TTD 18.63

-27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 TTD 15.74

$2.82 TTD 19.12

-17.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.44

$2.66 TTD 18.03

-3.38%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.58

$4.90 TTD 33.25

-23.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 TTD 54.8

$7.77 TTD 52.8

3.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 TTD 70.3

$10.23 TTD 69.5

1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 TTD 57.5

$14.41 TTD 97.8

-41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 TTD 39.45

$5.87 TTD 39.86

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 TTD 29.10

$4.43 TTD 30.11

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 TTD 31.46

$4.87 TTD 33.07

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 TTD 8.33

$1.44 TTD 9.81

-14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.23

$1.72 TTD 11.69

-55.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.90

$1.90 TTD 12.87

-23.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.22

$1.40 TTD 9.50

-13.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 TTD 37.49

$5.96 TTD 40.44

-7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 TTD 120

$19.11 TTD 130

-7.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.20

$2.19 TTD 14.90

-31.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.54

$2.74 TTD 18.58

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$1.06 TTD 7.18

-60.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 TTD 300

$96.8 TTD 657

-54.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.23

$1.01 TTD 6.84

-8.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 TTD 6.24

$1.23 TTD 8.34

-25.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.79 TTD 100

$14.64 TTD 99.4

1.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 TTD 7.00

$1.11 TTD 7.51

-7.21%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

$34.1K TTD 231.6K

0.32%

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

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

$38.9K TTD 264.0K

-0.12%

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

$45.18 TTD 307

$81.7 TTD 555

-44.68%

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

$42.01 TTD 285

$46.80 TTD 318

-10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.20 TTD 314

$62.5 TTD 424

-26.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 TTD 309

$55.2 TTD 375

-17.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 TTD 59.9

$13.06 TTD 88.7

-32.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 TTD 61.9

$9.90 TTD 67.2

-7.88%

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

$326 TTD 2,212

$334 TTD 2,265

-2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

$7,117 TTD 48.3K

-68.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.00 TTD 306

$60.2 TTD 409

-25.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 TTD 249

$37.73 TTD 256

-2.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 TTD 600

$144 TTD 974

-38.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 TTD 610

$129 TTD 875

-30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 TTD 3,610

$779 TTD 5,292

-31.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 TTD 2,365

$474 TTD 3,216

-26.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 TTD 6,636

$1,835 TTD 12.5K

-46.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 TTD 4,749

$1,267 TTD 8,602

-44.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

$4,360 TTD 29.6K

-53.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

$1,719 TTD 11.7K

-12.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 TTD 6,850

$718 TTD 4,873

40.56%

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 San Fernando: April 26, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $532 in San Fernando and $779 in Port of Spain. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Fernando vs $88.0 in Port of Spain for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $377 per month, with San Fernando 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

San Fernando vs Port of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

San Fernando pays 41% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $532 in San Fernando versus $779 in Port of Spain. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,197 per month in San Fernando versus $1,574 in Port of Spain – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Fernando runs roughly 119% less than in Port of Spain. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,197 in San Fernando versus $1,574 in Port of Spain, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando 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 San Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.