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 $945 per month in St.James vs $1,133 in Tobago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,629 per month in St.James vs $1,881 in Tobago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,312 per month in St.James vs $2,630 in Tobago, rent included.

St.James is about 17% cheaper than Tobago, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both St.James and Tobago are more affordable than the global median – St.James 29% lower, Tobago 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 TTD 70.9

$8.95 TTD 60.3

17.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 TTD 610

$66.0 TTD 445

37.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 TTD 49.97

$7.19 TTD 48.48

3.06%

Cappuccino

$3.75 TTD 25.29

$3.68 TTD 24.78

1.90%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.33

$0.95 TTD 6.42

14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.29

$0.81 TTD 5.49

-2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 TTD 12.15

$3.72 TTD 25.04

-51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.47

$2.99 TTD 20.13

1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 TTD 18.45

$2.36 TTD 15.89

16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 TTD 18.51

$2.31 TTD 15.56

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.71

$2.92 TTD 19.65

-9.93%

Eggs

$4.96 TTD 33.40

$4.54 TTD 30.61

9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 TTD 52.1

$7.23 TTD 48.71

6.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 TTD 69.9

$7.44 TTD 50.1

39.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 TTD 95.2

$7.21 TTD 48.58

95.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.17

$7.02 TTD 47.29

-19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.05

$2.47 TTD 16.67

2.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.77

$2.94 TTD 19.81

45.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 TTD 31.10

$3.00 TTD 20.25

53.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.57

$1.21 TTD 8.14

17.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TTD 11.30

$1.21 TTD 8.13

38.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.83

$1.57 TTD 10.56

21.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.53

$1.30 TTD 8.76

8.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 TTD 39.69

$4.67 TTD 31.45

26.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 TTD 127

$21.60 TTD 146

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.30

$3.38 TTD 22.76

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 19.07

$3.43 TTD 23.10

-17.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$0.72 TTD 4.82

40.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.35

$0.72 TTD 4.87

72.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 TTD 99.8

$15.48 TTD 104

-4.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.66

$1.02 TTD 6.88

11.76%

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

$34.6K TTD 233.2K

$26.7K TTD 179.8K

29.69%

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

$39.0K TTD 262.9K

$39.7K TTD 267.6K

-1.74%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

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

$46.77 TTD 315

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 TTD 422

$58.3 TTD 393

7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 TTD 97.9

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 TTD 68.7

$7.41 TTD 49.94

37.52%

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

$333 TTD 2,241

$95.7 TTD 645

247.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,185 TTD 48.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 TTD 407

$50.7 TTD 342

18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 TTD 258

$47.01 TTD 317

-18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 979

$153 TTD 1,029

-4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 866

$67.8 TTD 457

89.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 TTD 2,714

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 TTD 2,357

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 TTD 5,395

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 TTD 4,564

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,943

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tobago: July 12, 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: $372 vs $329 – 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: $945 in St.James, $1,133 in Tobago – roughly 20% apart. Tobago costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,417 per month in St.James and $1,699 in Tobago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in St.James and $1,133 in Tobago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $333 per month in St.James and $95.7 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 $945, than in Tobago at $1,133. 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.