Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Port of Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Port of Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in St.James versus $1,574 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,628 in St.James versus $2,777 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in St.James versus $3,979 in Port of Spain.

Living in St.James costs roughly 41% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: St.James is 30% below, Port of Spain is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 69.6

$10.42 TTD 70.8

-1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 607

$88.1 TTD 598

1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.7

$7.26 TTD 49.30

2.75%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.95

$3.76 TTD 25.50

-2.39%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.06 TTD 7.17

2.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.58

$0.79 TTD 5.35

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.41

$1.81 TTD 12.27

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.62

$3.12 TTD 21.18

-2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.19

$2.74 TTD 18.63

-2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 19.07

$2.82 TTD 19.12

-0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.54

$2.66 TTD 18.03

-3.01%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.24

$4.90 TTD 33.25

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 TTD 54.3

$7.77 TTD 52.8

2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 TTD 71.3

$10.23 TTD 69.5

2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 TTD 95.9

$14.41 TTD 97.8

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.71

$5.87 TTD 39.86

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.83

$2.55 TTD 17.30

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.43

$4.43 TTD 30.11

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.80

$4.87 TTD 33.07

-3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.12

$1.44 TTD 9.81

3.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.32

$1.72 TTD 11.69

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 TTD 12.82

$1.90 TTD 12.87

-0.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.52

$1.40 TTD 9.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 TTD 39.26

$5.96 TTD 40.44

-3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 TTD 131

$19.11 TTD 130

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 TTD 14.25

$2.19 TTD 14.90

-4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.29

$2.74 TTD 18.58

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 TTD 657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$1.01 TTD 6.84

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.41

$1.23 TTD 8.34

0.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 TTD 102

$14.64 TTD 99.4

2.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.79

$1.11 TTD 7.51

3.60%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

$34.1K TTD 231.6K

0.14%

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

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

$38.9K TTD 264.0K

0.37%

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

$80.0 TTD 543

$81.7 TTD 555

-2.09%

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

$47.03 TTD 319

$46.80 TTD 318

0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 418

$62.5 TTD 424

-1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 TTD 375

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 TTD 88.7

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 TTD 68.0

$9.90 TTD 67.2

1.11%

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

$321 TTD 2,181

$334 TTD 2,265

-3.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

$7,117 TTD 48.3K

2.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 407

$60.2 TTD 409

-0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 TTD 256

$37.73 TTD 256

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 973

$144 TTD 974

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 857

$129 TTD 875

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 TTD 5,292

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 TTD 3,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 TTD 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 TTD 8,602

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 TTD 29.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 TTD 4,873

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 St.James: April 26, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in St.James vs $88.0 in Port of Spain. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $377, with St.James 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

St.James vs Port of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St.James is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,404 in St.James and $2,361 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 $321 in St.James versus $334 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 St.James – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $88.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $936 in St.James versus $1,574 in Port of Spain, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St.James but tight or insufficient in Port of Spain. The gap between the two cities makes St.James 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 St.James gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.