Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Tobago Cost of Living Comparison Between San Fernando and Tobago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,217 in San Fernando versus $1,113 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in San Fernando versus $1,862 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,794 in San Fernando versus $2,611 in Tobago.

Living in San Fernando is roughly 9% more expensive than in Tobago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando 9% lower, Tobago 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 69.8

$8.83 TTD 59.3

17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 397

$66.9 TTD 449

-11.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 50.6

$7.35 TTD 49.32

2.59%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.70

$3.63 TTD 24.40

1.38%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.31

$0.92 TTD 6.18

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.15

$0.86 TTD 5.81

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 TTD 12.24

$3.60 TTD 24.19

-49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 TTD 16.66

$3.02 TTD 20.27

-17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.65

$2.35 TTD 15.79

-13.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.72

$2.29 TTD 15.35

2.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.63

$3.01 TTD 20.19

-12.62%

Eggs

$3.83 TTD 25.71

$4.68 TTD 31.41

-18.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.3

$7.50 TTD 50.4

7.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 TTD 70.2

$7.54 TTD 50.6

38.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.4

$7.49 TTD 50.3

16.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 TTD 39.78

$6.94 TTD 46.63

-14.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.67

$2.46 TTD 16.54

0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.28

$3.04 TTD 20.43

43.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 TTD 31.37

$3.04 TTD 20.40

53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 TTD 8.31

$1.17 TTD 7.84

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

$1.19 TTD 8.01

-36.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.02

$1.57 TTD 10.53

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.82

$1.29 TTD 8.68

-10.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.18

$4.90 TTD 32.88

16.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.35 TTD 117

$22.19 TTD 149

-21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 TTD 10.19

$3.36 TTD 22.59

-54.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.19

$3.44 TTD 23.11

-21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 TTD 3.07

$0.73 TTD 4.88

-36.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.31 TTD 298

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 TTD 5.74

$0.72 TTD 4.84

18.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 TTD 5.75

$0.71 TTD 4.77

21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 TTD 97.8

$15.39 TTD 103

-5.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 TTD 6.65

$0.99 TTD 6.66

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

$34.4K TTD 231.1K

$26.8K TTD 179.6K

28.62%

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

$38.2K TTD 256.7K

$40.0K TTD 268.6K

-4.45%

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

$44.86 TTD 301

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

$42.88 TTD 288

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 TTD 302

$60.3 TTD 405

-25.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 TTD 315

$54.9 TTD 369

-14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 TTD 57.9

$15.05 TTD 101

-42.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 TTD 59.1

$7.17 TTD 48.15

22.73%

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

$325 TTD 2,185

$97.8 TTD 657

232.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,224 TTD 14.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.93 TTD 295

$52.2 TTD 350

-15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 TTD 246

$47.12 TTD 316

-22.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 603

$154 TTD 1,032

-41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 TTD 607

$67.7 TTD 454

33.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 TTD 3,580

$417 TTD 2,801

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 TTD 2,344

$347 TTD 2,332

0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 TTD 6,553

$817 TTD 5,486

19.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 TTD 4,667

$662 TTD 4,447

4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 TTD 9,967

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,030 TTD 6,915

$729 TTD 4,894

41.30%

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 San Fernando: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tobago: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $533 in San Fernando and $417 in Tobago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Fernando vs $67.0 in Tobago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $332 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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tobago is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% 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 $417 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in San Fernando versus $97.8 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 $67.0 versus $59.0 in San Fernando. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,113 in Tobago versus $1,217 in San Fernando, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tobago but tight or insufficient in San Fernando. 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, San Fernando 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 9% less than in San Fernando. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.