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: $1,198 in San Fernando versus $1,121 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,963 in San Fernando versus $1,872 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,727 in San Fernando versus $2,623 in Tobago.

Living in San Fernando is roughly 7% more expensive than Tobago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando 11% lower, Tobago 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 TTD 68.9

$9.05 TTD 61.2

12.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 TTD 401

$65.2 TTD 441

-9.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 TTD 49.77

$7.27 TTD 49.13

1.24%

Cappuccino

$3.55 TTD 24.03

$3.72 TTD 25.17

-4.57%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.15

$0.95 TTD 6.43

11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.06

$0.88 TTD 5.96

-14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.77

$3.80 TTD 25.69

-50.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 TTD 16.63

$2.98 TTD 20.12

-17.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 TTD 14.01

$2.31 TTD 15.63

-10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.81

$2.38 TTD 16.12

-1.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.77

$3.03 TTD 20.49

-13.20%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.47

$4.53 TTD 30.60

-16.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 TTD 53.8

$7.30 TTD 49.38

9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 TTD 71.2

$7.26 TTD 49.07

45.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 TTD 57.6

$7.27 TTD 49.17

17.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 TTD 40.27

$6.84 TTD 46.26

-12.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.48

$2.36 TTD 15.94

9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.23

$2.93 TTD 19.84

47.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 TTD 32.05

$2.93 TTD 19.82

61.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 TTD 8.30

$1.16 TTD 7.81

6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TTD 4.92

$1.21 TTD 8.21

-39.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.84

$1.55 TTD 10.51

-5.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.16

$1.26 TTD 8.55

-3.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.45

$4.89 TTD 33.07

16.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 TTD 121

$22.42 TTD 152

-19.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 TTD 10.41

$3.28 TTD 22.16

-53.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.06

$3.43 TTD 23.19

-17.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$0.72 TTD 4.86

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.75 TTD 296

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.79

$0.76 TTD 5.11

13.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 TTD 6.16

$0.72 TTD 4.86

26.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 TTD 99.4

$15.39 TTD 104

-4.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 TTD 6.98

$1.02 TTD 6.91

0.98%

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

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

$26.3K TTD 178.1K

28.14%

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

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

$40.2K TTD 271.6K

-4.33%

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

$44.62 TTD 302

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

$41.80 TTD 283

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 TTD 310

$59.6 TTD 403

-23.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 TTD 309

$53.8 TTD 364

-15.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 TTD 60.5

$15.06 TTD 102

-40.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 TTD 60.9

$7.57 TTD 51.2

19.02%

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

$324 TTD 2,190

$97.8 TTD 661

231.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.69 TTD 302

$52.6 TTD 356

-15.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 TTD 247

$46.93 TTD 317

-22.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 TTD 602

$153 TTD 1,033

-41.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 TTD 593

$68.6 TTD 464

27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 TTD 3,720

$404 TTD 2,730

36.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 TTD 2,302

$351 TTD 2,372

-2.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 TTD 6,436

$826 TTD 5,585

15.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 TTD 4,714

$675 TTD 4,563

3.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,031 TTD 6,971

$739 TTD 4,997

39.50%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Tobago: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $550 in San Fernando and $404 in Tobago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 39% 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 $65.0 in Tobago. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $327, with Tobago cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

San Fernando pays 39% 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: $550 in San Fernando versus $404 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 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 $65.0 versus $59.0 in San Fernando. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,121 in Tobago versus $1,198 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 7% less than in San Fernando. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.