Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Tobago Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Tobago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in St.James vs $1,115 in Tobago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,635 per month in St.James vs $1,875 in Tobago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,346 per month in St.James vs $2,634 in Tobago, rent included.

St.James is about 17% cheaper than Tobago, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both St.James and Tobago are more affordable than the global median – St.James 31% lower, Tobago 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 68.7

$8.99 TTD 60.2

14.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 TTD 602

$65.6 TTD 439

37.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 TTD 49.93

$7.23 TTD 48.47

3.04%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.39

$3.63 TTD 24.32

0.28%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.36

$0.92 TTD 6.13

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TTD 5.57

$0.81 TTD 5.42

2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.72

$3.67 TTD 24.58

-48.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 TTD 21.17

$2.88 TTD 19.30

9.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 TTD 18.54

$2.26 TTD 15.15

22.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 TTD 18.09

$2.30 TTD 15.42

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 17.83

$2.90 TTD 19.46

-8.28%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.76

$4.48 TTD 30.01

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 TTD 52.9

$7.28 TTD 48.75

8.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 TTD 68.7

$7.35 TTD 49.25

39.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 TTD 97.3

$7.46 TTD 49.98

94.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.00

$6.97 TTD 46.69

-14.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 TTD 17.43

$2.36 TTD 15.83

10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 TTD 28.70

$2.92 TTD 19.58

46.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.31

$2.90 TTD 19.41

66.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.02

$1.21 TTD 8.11

23.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.10

$1.20 TTD 8.04

38.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.56

$1.59 TTD 10.67

18.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 TTD 9.34

$1.31 TTD 8.76

6.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 TTD 38.47

$4.83 TTD 32.35

18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 TTD 124

$21.73 TTD 146

-14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 TTD 14.31

$3.42 TTD 22.91

-37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 18.97

$3.37 TTD 22.59

-16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 TTD 5.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.70

$0.76 TTD 5.06

31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 TTD 8.13

$0.77 TTD 5.18

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 97.9

$15.24 TTD 102

-4.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.59

$1.04 TTD 6.94

8.65%

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

$33.4K TTD 223.5K

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

25.04%

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

$37.9K TTD 253.6K

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

-6.41%

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

$79.8 TTD 534

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

$46.23 TTD 310

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 TTD 407

$60.2 TTD 404

0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 TTD 366

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 TTD 101

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 TTD 65.1

$7.43 TTD 49.79

30.82%

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

$328 TTD 2,200

$96.9 TTD 649

238.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,315 TTD 49.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 TTD 392

$51.7 TTD 346

13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 TTD 260

$46.21 TTD 310

-15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 978

$154 TTD 1,029

-4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 842

$69.9 TTD 469

79.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 TTD 2,767

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 TTD 2,283

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 TTD 5,394

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 TTD 4,420

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 St.James: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tobago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in St.James versus $66.0 in Tobago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 vs $327 – making Tobago the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $924 in St.James, $1,115 in Tobago – roughly 21% apart. Tobago costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,385 per month in St.James and $1,673 in Tobago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $924 in St.James and $1,115 in Tobago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in St.James and $96.9 in Tobago. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Tobago at $1,115. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tobago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.James – 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 St.James. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tobago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.