Cost of Living Comparison Between Tobago and Carenage Cost of Living Comparison Between Tobago and Carenage

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Tobago vs $938 in Carenage, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Tobago vs $1,609 in Carenage, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,630 per month in Tobago vs $2,280 in Carenage, rent included.

Tobago costs about 21% more than Carenage, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tobago and Carenage are more affordable than the global median – Tobago 15% lower, Carenage 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.95 TTD 60.3

$10.42 TTD 70.2

-14.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 TTD 445

$90.1 TTD 607

-26.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 TTD 48.48

$7.25 TTD 48.84

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.78

$3.62 TTD 24.42

1.66%

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

$0.95 TTD 6.42

$1.10 TTD 7.40

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.49

$0.84 TTD 5.65

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 TTD 25.04

$1.80 TTD 12.15

106.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.13

$3.03 TTD 20.45

-1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 TTD 15.89

$2.74 TTD 18.46

-13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 TTD 15.56

$2.80 TTD 18.85

-17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.65

$2.60 TTD 17.50

12.31%

Eggs

$4.54 TTD 30.61

$5.13 TTD 34.57

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 TTD 48.71

$7.78 TTD 52.4

-7.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 TTD 50.1

$10.49 TTD 70.7

-29.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 TTD 48.58

$14.11 TTD 95.1

-48.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.02 TTD 47.29

$5.91 TTD 39.86

18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.67

$2.59 TTD 17.47

-4.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 TTD 19.81

$4.41 TTD 29.73

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 TTD 20.25

$4.87 TTD 32.82

-38.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.14

$1.44 TTD 9.70

-15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.13

$1.67 TTD 11.27

-27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 TTD 10.56

$1.94 TTD 13.10

-19.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TTD 8.76

$1.40 TTD 9.45

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 TTD 31.45

$6.07 TTD 40.93

-23.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.60 TTD 146

$18.81 TTD 127

14.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 TTD 22.76

$2.20 TTD 14.82

53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 TTD 23.10

$2.78 TTD 18.75

23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 TTD 4.82

$1.04 TTD 7.03

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.87

$1.23 TTD 8.31

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.48 TTD 104

$14.59 TTD 98.3

6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 TTD 6.88

$1.10 TTD 7.41

-7.27%

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

$26.7K TTD 179.8K

$34.5K TTD 232.6K

-22.70%

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

$39.7K TTD 267.6K

$38.7K TTD 260.5K

2.73%

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

$80.3 TTD 541

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

$45.73 TTD 308

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 TTD 393

$62.7 TTD 423

-7.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 TTD 97.9

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 TTD 49.94

$10.12 TTD 68.2

-26.78%

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

$95.7 TTD 645

$322 TTD 2,169

-70.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,234 TTD 48.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 TTD 342

$59.4 TTD 401

-14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 TTD 317

$39.03 TTD 263

20.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 TTD 1,029

$148 TTD 996

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 TTD 457

$130 TTD 879

-47.98%

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

30.11%

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

Last update for Tobago: July 12, 2026

Last update for Carenage: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Tobago versus $90.0 in Carenage. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $378 – 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

Tobago vs Carenage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tobago is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,699 per month in Tobago and $1,407 in Carenage. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Tobago and $90.0 in Carenage. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Tobago – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Carenage, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Tobago at $1,133. In Carenage it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tobago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Carenage – 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 Carenage. 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.