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: $1,355 in San Juan versus $1,593 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in San Juan versus $2,747 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,810 in San Juan versus $3,901 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 1% above, Port of Spain 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 TTD 48.85

$10.50 TTD 70.8

-30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 TTD 392

$89.6 TTD 604

-35.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 TTD 51.0

$7.27 TTD 49.00

4.13%

Cappuccino

$3.79 TTD 25.57

$3.73 TTD 25.16

1.61%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.40

$1.10 TTD 7.42

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.80

$0.76 TTD 5.15

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$1.90 TTD 12.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 TTD 19.58

$3.02 TTD 20.38

-3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 TTD 18.65

$2.71 TTD 18.28

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 TTD 19.12

$2.82 TTD 19.02

0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 TTD 18.29

$2.61 TTD 17.61

3.83%

Eggs

$5.10 TTD 34.39

$5.14 TTD 34.65

-0.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 TTD 54.4

$7.77 TTD 52.4

3.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 TTD 70.0

$10.60 TTD 71.5

-1.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 TTD 95.1

$14.37 TTD 96.9

-1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 TTD 38.82

$5.79 TTD 39.05

-0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.37

$2.54 TTD 17.09

1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.81

$4.24 TTD 28.60

0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 TTD 32.16

$4.87 TTD 32.83

-2.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.95

$1.48 TTD 9.97

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.20

$1.67 TTD 11.29

-0.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.22

$1.94 TTD 13.06

1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.46

$1.42 TTD 9.55

-1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 TTD 39.92

$6.06 TTD 40.85

-2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 TTD 131

$19.02 TTD 128

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.32

$2.22 TTD 14.95

-4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.48

$2.73 TTD 18.43

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 TTD 7.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 TTD 667

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.09

$1.02 TTD 6.86

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 TTD 8.51

$1.29 TTD 8.66

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.93 TTD 101

$14.61 TTD 98.5

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.62

$1.14 TTD 7.67

-0.88%

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

$34.1K TTD 229.7K

$34.4K TTD 231.8K

-0.90%

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

$38.5K TTD 259.7K

$38.3K TTD 257.8K

0.75%

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

$80.0 TTD 539

$79.6 TTD 537

0.49%

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

$47.34 TTD 319

$46.31 TTD 312

2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 TTD 411

$61.4 TTD 414

-0.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 TTD 365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.11 TTD 88.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 68.1

$10.23 TTD 69.0

-1.17%

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

$327 TTD 2,203

$330 TTD 2,225

-1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 TTD 49.5K

$7,163 TTD 48.3K

2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 403

$60.1 TTD 405

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 TTD 260

$38.87 TTD 262

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 1,003

$143 TTD 967

3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 852

$128 TTD 861

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 5,013

$765 TTD 5,155

-2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 TTD 2,966

$483 TTD 3,254

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 TTD 6,976

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

-43.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 TTD 5,078

$1,285 TTD 8,664

-41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 TTD 5,188

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $744 in San Juan and $765 in Port of Spain. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in San Juan vs $90.0 in Port of Spain for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $378 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,032 in San Juan and $2,390 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: $744 in San Juan versus $765 in Port of Spain. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $327 in San Juan versus $330 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 $90.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,355 in San Juan versus $1,593 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.