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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $760 in San Juan versus $1,639 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in San Juan versus $2,759 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,880 in San Juan versus $3,879 in Port of Spain.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 54% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 45% below, Port of Spain is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.41 TTD 70.2

$10.44 TTD 70.4

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 TTD 392

$89.4 TTD 602

-34.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 TTD 53.1

$8.71 TTD 58.7

-9.64%

Cappuccino

$3.63 TTD 24.49

$3.76 TTD 25.34

-3.46%

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

$1.15 TTD 7.77

$1.04 TTD 7.01

10.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 TTD 15.22

$2.17 TTD 14.60

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 TTD 20.21

$3.66 TTD 24.70

-18.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 TTD 13.46

$2.46 TTD 16.59

-18.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.45

$2.59 TTD 17.46

-11.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 TTD 19.40

$2.83 TTD 19.05

1.77%

Eggs

$3.78 TTD 25.47

$4.40 TTD 29.66

-14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 TTD 45.87

$6.49 TTD 43.75

4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 TTD 66.7

$10.08 TTD 68.0

-1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.68 TTD 58.5

$11.68 TTD 78.7

-25.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 TTD 36.14

$5.62 TTD 37.90

-4.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.19

$3.13 TTD 21.12

-18.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 TTD 25.36

$3.79 TTD 25.52

-0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.15

$4.37 TTD 29.47

-1.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

$2.19 TTD 14.76

-65.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 TTD 4.82

$1.91 TTD 12.85

-62.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.74

$1.88 TTD 12.69

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.14

$1.39 TTD 9.38

-12.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 TTD 37.94

$5.83 TTD 39.29

-3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.60 TTD 119

$19.09 TTD 129

-7.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.54

$2.30 TTD 15.52

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.50

$2.94 TTD 19.84

3.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 TTD 9.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 TTD 906

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$1.01 TTD 6.84

-14.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.08

$1.27 TTD 8.57

-29.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.83 TTD 100.0

$14.62 TTD 98.6

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.48

$1.16 TTD 7.81

-4.31%

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

$36.2K TTD 244.0K

$37.5K TTD 252.8K

-3.47%

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

$41.2K TTD 277.7K

$41.2K TTD 277.6K

0.02%

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

$43.95 TTD 296

$89.5 TTD 603

-50.89%

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

$42.65 TTD 288

$51.9 TTD 350

-17.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 TTD 311

$56.7 TTD 382

-18.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 TTD 377

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 TTD 88.5

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 TTD 61.0

$8.77 TTD 59.1

3.19%

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

$393 TTD 2,647

$405 TTD 2,731

-3.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K TTD 73.4K

$10.7K TTD 72.2K

1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 TTD 371

$54.6 TTD 368

0.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.08 TTD 250

$51.9 TTD 350

-28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 TTD 591

$143 TTD 966

-38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 TTD 592

$102 TTD 687

-13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 TTD 6,743

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 TTD 3,524

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 TTD 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 TTD 8,047

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,316 TTD 29.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 TTD 13.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$778 TTD 5,242

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 Juan: September 8, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $58.0 in San Juan vs $89.0 in Port of Spain for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $358 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan vs Port of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,139 in San Juan and $2,459 in Port of Spain to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $393 in San Juan versus $405 in Port of Spain. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Juan – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $760 in San Juan versus $1,639 in Port of Spain, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.