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: $1,334 in San Juan versus $1,573 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in San Juan versus $2,743 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,807 in San Juan versus $3,913 in Port of Spain.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 15% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 0% above, Port of Spain 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 TTD 50.6

$10.21 TTD 68.4

-26.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 397

$89.4 TTD 599

-33.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 TTD 48.77

$7.31 TTD 48.97

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.61

$3.66 TTD 24.54

0.27%

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

$1.08 TTD 7.24

$1.05 TTD 7.01

2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.79

$0.82 TTD 5.50

-13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.90

$3.05 TTD 20.46

-2.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 TTD 18.27

$2.63 TTD 17.61

3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 TTD 17.95

$2.71 TTD 18.16

-1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 TTD 17.99

$2.56 TTD 17.16

5.08%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.42

$5.03 TTD 33.73

2.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 TTD 54.4

$7.98 TTD 53.5

1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 TTD 70.5

$10.31 TTD 69.1

2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 TTD 94.3

$14.21 TTD 95.2

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.91

$5.73 TTD 38.38

-1.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.82

$2.51 TTD 16.79

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.52

$4.34 TTD 29.05

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.48

$4.82 TTD 32.28

-2.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.55

$1.45 TTD 9.71

-1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TTD 11.24

$1.67 TTD 11.18

0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.60

$1.96 TTD 13.15

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.40

$1.47 TTD 9.84

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 TTD 40.23

$5.77 TTD 38.67

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 TTD 124

$18.09 TTD 121

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.65

$2.17 TTD 14.55

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.03

$2.85 TTD 19.07

-5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$1.05 TTD 7.01

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.26

$1.28 TTD 8.56

-3.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.85 TTD 99.5

$14.91 TTD 99.9

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.36

$1.09 TTD 7.31

0.92%

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

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

1.62%

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

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

1.74%

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

$81.1 TTD 543

$80.6 TTD 540

0.53%

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

$47.47 TTD 318

$45.86 TTD 307

3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 TTD 409

$61.2 TTD 410

-0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 66.3

$10.05 TTD 67.3

-1.49%

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

$324 TTD 2,172

$329 TTD 2,203

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

3.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 TTD 394

$59.5 TTD 398

-1.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 TTD 260

$38.55 TTD 258

0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 997

$144 TTD 967

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 852

$127 TTD 849

0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 TTD 4,937

$759 TTD 5,086

-2.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 TTD 3,026

$479 TTD 3,208

-5.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 TTD 7,051

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

-42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 4,988

$1,273 TTD 8,526

-41.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 TTD 29.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,908

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 Juan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in San Juan and $759 in Port of Spain. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Juan vs $89.0 in Port of Spain. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $373, with Port of Spain 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 Juan vs Port of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,001 in San Juan and $2,360 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $737 in San Juan versus $759 in Port of Spain. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in San Juan versus $329 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 $59.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,334 in San Juan versus $1,573 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 18% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.