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: $1,217 in San Fernando versus $1,578 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in San Fernando versus $2,773 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,794 in San Fernando versus $3,968 in Port of Spain.

Living in San Fernando costs roughly 23% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Fernando is 9% below, Port of Spain is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 70.1

$10.30 TTD 69.5

0.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$89.3 TTD 602

-33.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 50.9

$7.22 TTD 48.73

4.43%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.82

$3.62 TTD 24.41

1.66%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.34

$1.09 TTD 7.39

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$0.84 TTD 5.66

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 TTD 12.30

$1.83 TTD 12.33

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 TTD 16.73

$3.14 TTD 21.21

-21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.72

$2.65 TTD 17.85

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.80

$2.74 TTD 18.50

-14.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.71

$2.57 TTD 17.32

2.33%

Eggs

$3.83 TTD 25.83

$5.06 TTD 34.11

-24.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.6

$7.83 TTD 52.8

3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 TTD 70.5

$10.39 TTD 70.1

0.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.7

$14.23 TTD 96.0

-38.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 TTD 39.97

$5.74 TTD 38.75

3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.75

$2.54 TTD 17.16

-2.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.41

$4.43 TTD 29.88

-1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 TTD 31.51

$4.66 TTD 31.41

0.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 TTD 8.35

$1.47 TTD 9.94

-15.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.13

$1.74 TTD 11.71

-56.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.06

$1.90 TTD 12.84

-21.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.85

$1.46 TTD 9.84

-20.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.36

$5.99 TTD 40.42

-5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.35 TTD 117

$19.46 TTD 131

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 TTD 10.24

$2.13 TTD 14.35

-28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.27

$2.82 TTD 19.04

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 TTD 3.09

$1.00 TTD 6.75

-54.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.31 TTD 299

$98.6 TTD 665

-55.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 TTD 5.76

$1.01 TTD 6.81

-15.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$1.24 TTD 8.34

-30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 TTD 98.2

$14.94 TTD 101

-2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 TTD 6.68

$1.11 TTD 7.46

-10.81%

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

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

$33.4K TTD 225.3K

3.01%

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

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

$37.8K TTD 255.0K

1.12%

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

$44.86 TTD 303

$79.2 TTD 534

-43.37%

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

$42.88 TTD 289

$45.77 TTD 309

-6.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 TTD 304

$62.1 TTD 419

-27.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 TTD 316

$54.4 TTD 367

-13.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 TTD 58.2

$12.90 TTD 87.0

-33.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 TTD 59.4

$9.85 TTD 66.5

-10.66%

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

$325 TTD 2,195

$329 TTD 2,220

-1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

$7,350 TTD 49.6K

-69.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.93 TTD 296

$58.2 TTD 393

-24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 TTD 247

$38.65 TTD 261

-5.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$146 TTD 984

-38.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 TTD 610

$128 TTD 866

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 TTD 3,596

$758 TTD 5,111

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 TTD 2,355

$477 TTD 3,217

-26.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 TTD 6,583

$1,819 TTD 12.3K

-46.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 TTD 4,688

$1,247 TTD 8,409

-44.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

$4,394 TTD 29.6K

-55.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

$1,719 TTD 11.6K

-13.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,030 TTD 6,947

$751 TTD 5,064

37.18%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $533 in San Fernando and $758 in Port of Spain. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 37% 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 $89.0 in Port of Spain for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $376 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in San Fernando, 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: $533 in San Fernando versus $758 in Port of Spain. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,217 per month in San Fernando versus $1,578 in Port of Spain – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Fernando runs roughly 122% less than in Port of Spain. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,217 in San Fernando versus $1,578 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 30% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.