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 $1,334 per month in San Juan vs $1,115 in Tobago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in San Juan vs $1,875 in Tobago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,807 per month in San Juan vs $2,634 in Tobago, rent included.

San Juan costs about 20% more than Tobago, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

San Juan sits 0% above the global median, while Tobago is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 TTD 50.6

$8.99 TTD 60.2

-16.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 397

$65.6 TTD 439

-9.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 TTD 48.77

$7.23 TTD 48.47

0.69%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.61

$3.63 TTD 24.32

1.10%

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

$1.08 TTD 7.24

$0.92 TTD 6.13

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.79

$0.81 TTD 5.42

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$3.67 TTD 24.58

-50.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.90

$2.88 TTD 19.30

3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 TTD 18.27

$2.26 TTD 15.15

20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 TTD 17.95

$2.30 TTD 15.42

16.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 TTD 17.99

$2.90 TTD 19.46

-7.24%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.42

$4.48 TTD 30.01

14.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 TTD 54.4

$7.28 TTD 48.75

11.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 TTD 70.5

$7.35 TTD 49.25

43.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 TTD 94.3

$7.46 TTD 49.98

88.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.91

$6.97 TTD 46.69

-18.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.82

$2.36 TTD 15.83

6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.52

$2.92 TTD 19.58

45.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.48

$2.90 TTD 19.41

62.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.55

$1.21 TTD 8.11

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TTD 11.24

$1.20 TTD 8.04

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.60

$1.59 TTD 10.67

18.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.40

$1.31 TTD 8.76

6.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 TTD 40.23

$4.83 TTD 32.35

24.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 TTD 124

$21.73 TTD 146

-14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.65

$3.42 TTD 22.91

-35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.03

$3.37 TTD 22.59

-20.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 TTD 5.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$0.76 TTD 5.06

32.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.26

$0.77 TTD 5.18

59.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.85 TTD 99.5

$15.24 TTD 102

-2.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.36

$1.04 TTD 6.94

5.77%

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

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

29.67%

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

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

-4.40%

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

$81.1 TTD 543

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

$47.47 TTD 318

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 TTD 409

$60.2 TTD 404

1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 TTD 366

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 TTD 101

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 TTD 66.3

$7.43 TTD 49.79

33.24%

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

$324 TTD 2,172

$96.9 TTD 649

234.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 TTD 394

$51.7 TTD 346

13.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 TTD 260

$46.21 TTD 310

-15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 TTD 997

$154 TTD 1,029

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 852

$69.9 TTD 469

81.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 TTD 4,937

$413 TTD 2,767

78.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 TTD 3,026

$341 TTD 2,283

32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 TTD 7,051

$805 TTD 5,394

30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 TTD 4,988

$660 TTD 4,420

12.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,908

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tobago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in San Juan versus $413 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 $59.0 in San Juan versus $66.0 in Tobago. Groceries tell a different story – $374 in San Juan vs $327 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 Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,001 per month in San Juan and $1,673 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 $1,334 in San Juan and $1,115 in Tobago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in San Juan and $96.9 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 $1,115, than in San Juan at $1,334. 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.