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: $914 in St.James versus $1,578 in Port of Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,615 in St.James versus $2,773 in Port of Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,317 in St.James versus $3,968 in Port of Spain.

Living in St.James costs roughly 42% less than in Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: St.James is 31% below, Port of Spain is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 TTD 69.7

$10.30 TTD 69.2

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 TTD 598

$89.3 TTD 600

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 TTD 50.5

$7.22 TTD 48.51

4.16%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$3.62 TTD 24.30

0.55%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.02

$1.09 TTD 7.35

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.84 TTD 5.64

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$1.83 TTD 12.27

-1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.30

$3.14 TTD 21.11

0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$2.65 TTD 17.77

1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.85

$2.74 TTD 18.42

2.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$2.57 TTD 17.24

1.95%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.86

$5.06 TTD 33.95

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 TTD 53.8

$7.83 TTD 52.6

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 68.7

$10.39 TTD 69.8

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 TTD 95.0

$14.23 TTD 95.6

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 TTD 39.87

$5.74 TTD 38.58

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$2.54 TTD 17.09

3.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.76

$4.43 TTD 29.75

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.26

$4.66 TTD 31.27

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.64

$1.47 TTD 9.89

-2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.57

$1.74 TTD 11.66

-1.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.82

$1.90 TTD 12.78

0.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.37

$1.46 TTD 9.80

-4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 TTD 39.31

$5.99 TTD 40.23

-2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 TTD 130

$19.46 TTD 131

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.77

$2.13 TTD 14.28

3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.28

$2.82 TTD 18.95

-3.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 TTD 6.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 TTD 662

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.84

$1.01 TTD 6.78

0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.63

$1.24 TTD 8.30

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 TTD 101

$14.94 TTD 100

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.32

$1.11 TTD 7.42

-1.80%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

$33.4K TTD 224.3K

1.79%

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

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

$37.8K TTD 253.8K

2.19%

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

$79.3 TTD 532

$79.2 TTD 532

0.05%

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

$46.15 TTD 310

$45.77 TTD 307

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$62.1 TTD 417

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 366

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.90 TTD 86.6

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 67.9

$9.85 TTD 66.2

2.64%

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

$325 TTD 2,184

$329 TTD 2,210

-1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

$7,350 TTD 49.4K

-0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 TTD 395

$58.2 TTD 391

1.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$38.65 TTD 260

-2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 965

$146 TTD 980

-1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 867

$128 TTD 862

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 TTD 5,088

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 TTD 3,202

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 TTD 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 TTD 8,371

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,394 TTD 29.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 TTD 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 TTD 5,041

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in St.James vs $89.0 in Port of Spain. Groceries flip the comparison at $378 vs $376, with Port of Spain 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 Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,370 in St.James and $2,367 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 $325 in St.James versus $329 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 $89.0 in Port of Spain. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $914 in St.James versus $1,578 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 73% less than in Port of Spain. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.