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: $925 in St.James versus $1,659 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in St.James versus $2,801 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in St.James versus $3,944 in Port of Spain.

Living in St.James costs roughly 44% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: St.James is 32% below, Port of Spain is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$10.42 TTD 70.1

0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 TTD 589

$89.3 TTD 600

-1.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 TTD 61.0

$8.83 TTD 59.4

2.72%

Cappuccino

$3.69 TTD 24.83

$3.69 TTD 24.80

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

$1.00 TTD 6.75

$1.00 TTD 6.72

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

$0.76 TTD 5.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 TTD 15.27

$2.15 TTD 14.48

5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 TTD 24.21

$3.75 TTD 25.25

-4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 TTD 16.90

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 TTD 16.67

$2.59 TTD 17.39

-4.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 TTD 19.17

$2.83 TTD 19.06

0.71%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.92

$4.27 TTD 28.76

0.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 TTD 43.73

$6.60 TTD 44.43

-1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 TTD 67.1

$10.22 TTD 68.7

-2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 TTD 78.3

$11.72 TTD 78.9

-0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 TTD 37.69

$5.66 TTD 38.05

-1.06%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 TTD 20.99

$3.13 TTD 21.06

-0.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 TTD 25.01

$3.77 TTD 25.37

-1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 TTD 28.04

$4.25 TTD 28.62

-1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$2.18 TTD 14.64

1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 TTD 13.00

$1.91 TTD 12.87

1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.37

$1.85 TTD 12.44

-0.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 TTD 9.01

$1.35 TTD 9.09

-0.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 TTD 40.50

$5.99 TTD 40.29

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 127

$19.14 TTD 129

-1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$2.33 TTD 15.65

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.10

$2.97 TTD 19.98

0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 TTD 8.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 TTD 877

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.07

$1.01 TTD 6.81

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.34

$1.22 TTD 8.24

1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.3

$14.54 TTD 97.8

0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.85

$1.11 TTD 7.47

5.41%

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

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

$37.1K TTD 249.7K

1.00%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

$41.6K TTD 279.6K

-2.83%

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

$91.7 TTD 617

$92.1 TTD 620

-0.42%

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

$52.6 TTD 354

$52.2 TTD 351

0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 TTD 377

$57.4 TTD 386

-2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 TTD 379

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 TTD 88.3

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 TTD 59.9

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

$404 TTD 2,716

$391 TTD 2,632

3.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

$10.8K TTD 72.4K

0.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 TTD 365

$53.7 TTD 361

1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 TTD 350

$51.5 TTD 346

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 985

$143 TTD 963

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 691

$105 TTD 706

-2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 TTD 6,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 TTD 3,506

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 TTD 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 TTD 7,955

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,348 TTD 29.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,010 TTD 13.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$775 TTD 5,212

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for St.James: September 13, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $88.0 in St.James vs $89.0 in Port of Spain for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $359 per month, with St.James 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

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

St.James is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,387 in St.James and $2,489 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 $404 in St.James versus $391 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 $88.0 versus $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $925 in St.James versus $1,659 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 79% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.