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: $1,232 in San Fernando versus $1,214 in Tobago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in San Fernando versus $1,844 in Tobago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,831 in San Fernando versus $2,474 in Tobago.

Living in San Fernando is roughly 1% more expensive than in Tobago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando 10% lower, Tobago 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 TTD 70.8

$10.05 TTD 67.7

4.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 TTD 395

$41.19 TTD 277

42.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 TTD 54.2

$9.65 TTD 65.0

-16.48%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.78

$3.66 TTD 24.63

0.55%

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

$1.04 TTD 7.03

$1.65 TTD 11.11

-36.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.06

$1.69 TTD 11.39

-55.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 TTD 12.05

$3.71 TTD 24.99

-51.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 TTD 17.64

$4.41 TTD 29.67

-40.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 TTD 13.35

$2.48 TTD 16.71

-20.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 TTD 15.53

$2.42 TTD 16.27

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 TTD 19.43

$2.38 TTD 16.00

21.43%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.34

$4.87 TTD 32.75

-22.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 TTD 43.82

$6.23 TTD 41.89

4.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 TTD 67.7

$7.24 TTD 48.68

38.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 TTD 58.5

$5.75 TTD 38.68

51.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 TTD 37.30

$4.12 TTD 27.69

34.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.61

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 TTD 25.06

$2.23 TTD 14.98

66.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 TTD 28.37

$2.34 TTD 15.73

80.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.21

$0.99 TTD 6.64

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 TTD 4.79

$1.64 TTD 11.06

-56.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 TTD 9.98

$1.88 TTD 12.66

-21.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TTD 7.72

$1.50 TTD 10.06

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 TTD 37.89

$4.30 TTD 28.93

30.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 TTD 121

$21.71 TTD 146

-17.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 TTD 10.31

$3.62 TTD 24.37

-57.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.42

$4.43 TTD 29.83

-31.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 TTD 2.88

$0.73 TTD 4.90

-41.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.66 TTD 294

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$0.70 TTD 4.74

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 TTD 5.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.82 TTD 99.7

$8.88 TTD 59.7

66.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TTD 7.82

$1.07 TTD 7.19

8.41%

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

$36.6K TTD 246.0K

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

$40.5K TTD 272.4K

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

$43.51 TTD 293

$58.0 TTD 390

-24.93%

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

$42.50 TTD 286

$26.08 TTD 176

62.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.20 TTD 311

$72.5 TTD 488

-36.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 TTD 344

$52.4 TTD 352

-2.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 TTD 60.2

$7.72 TTD 51.9

15.80%

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

$394 TTD 2,653

$72.3 TTD 486

445.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 TTD 368

$45.00 TTD 303

21.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.21 TTD 250

$48.07 TTD 323

-22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 TTD 583

$143 TTD 960

-39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 TTD 586

$88.0 TTD 592

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 TTD 3,442

$406 TTD 2,735

25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 TTD 2,621

$338 TTD 2,275

15.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 TTD 6,132

$562 TTD 3,780

62.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 TTD 5,054

$519 TTD 3,491

44.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 TTD 13.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 TTD 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 TTD 6,924

$740 TTD 4,979

39.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for San Fernando: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tobago: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in San Fernando and $406 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 $41.00 in Tobago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $308 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

San Fernando vs Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tobago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% 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: $512 in San Fernando versus $406 in Tobago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $394 in San Fernando versus $72.3 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 $41.00 versus $59.0 in San Fernando. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,214 in Tobago versus $1,232 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 1% less than in San Fernando. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.