Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Tobago Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Tobago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,355 per month in San Juan vs $1,133 in Tobago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in San Juan vs $1,881 in Tobago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,810 per month in San Juan vs $2,630 in Tobago, rent included.

San Juan costs about 20% more than Tobago, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

San Juan sits 1% above the global median, while Tobago is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 TTD 48.85

$8.95 TTD 60.3

-18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 TTD 392

$66.0 TTD 445

-11.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 TTD 51.0

$7.19 TTD 48.48

5.29%

Cappuccino

$3.79 TTD 25.57

$3.68 TTD 24.78

2.99%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.40

$0.95 TTD 6.42

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.80

$0.81 TTD 5.49

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.78

$3.72 TTD 25.04

-48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 TTD 19.58

$2.99 TTD 20.13

-3.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 TTD 18.65

$2.36 TTD 15.89

17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 TTD 19.12

$2.31 TTD 15.56

22.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 TTD 18.29

$2.92 TTD 19.65

-7.19%

Eggs

$5.10 TTD 34.39

$4.54 TTD 30.61

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 TTD 54.4

$7.23 TTD 48.71

11.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 TTD 70.0

$7.44 TTD 50.1

39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 TTD 95.1

$7.21 TTD 48.58

95.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 TTD 38.82

$7.02 TTD 47.29

-17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.37

$2.47 TTD 16.67

4.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.81

$2.94 TTD 19.81

45.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 TTD 32.16

$3.00 TTD 20.25

59.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.95

$1.21 TTD 8.14

22.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.20

$1.21 TTD 8.13

37.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.22

$1.57 TTD 10.56

24.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.46

$1.30 TTD 8.76

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 TTD 39.92

$4.67 TTD 31.45

26.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 TTD 131

$21.60 TTD 146

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.32

$3.38 TTD 22.76

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.48

$3.43 TTD 23.10

-20.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.09

$0.72 TTD 4.82

45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 TTD 8.51

$0.72 TTD 4.87

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.93 TTD 101

$15.48 TTD 104

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.62

$1.02 TTD 6.88

10.78%

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

$34.1K TTD 229.7K

$26.7K TTD 179.8K

27.74%

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

$38.5K TTD 259.7K

$39.7K TTD 267.6K

-2.94%

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

$80.0 TTD 539

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

$47.34 TTD 319

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 TTD 411

$58.3 TTD 393

4.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 TTD 97.9

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 68.1

$7.41 TTD 49.94

36.44%

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

$327 TTD 2,203

$95.7 TTD 645

241.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 TTD 49.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 403

$50.7 TTD 342

18.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 TTD 260

$47.01 TTD 317

-17.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 1,003

$153 TTD 1,029

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 852

$67.8 TTD 457

86.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 5,013

$403 TTD 2,714

84.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 TTD 2,966

$350 TTD 2,357

25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 TTD 6,976

$800 TTD 5,395

29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 TTD 5,078

$677 TTD 4,564

11.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,943

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 Juan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tobago: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in San Juan versus $403 in Tobago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in San Juan versus $66.0 in Tobago. Groceries tell a different story – $378 in San Juan vs $329 in Tobago – so Tobago wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 20% more than Tobago, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,032 per month in San Juan and $1,699 in Tobago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tobago, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,355 in San Juan and $1,133 in Tobago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $327 per month in San Juan and $95.7 in Tobago. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tobago, where all-in costs run around $1,133, than in San Juan at $1,355. In Tobago it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tobago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tobago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.