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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Tobago vs $927 in Carenage, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,875 per month in Tobago vs $1,625 in Carenage, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,634 per month in Tobago vs $2,322 in Carenage, rent included.

Tobago costs about 20% more than Carenage, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 TTD 60.2

$10.54 TTD 70.6

-14.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 TTD 439

$87.6 TTD 587

-25.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 TTD 48.47

$7.20 TTD 48.26

0.42%

Cappuccino

$3.63 TTD 24.32

$3.80 TTD 25.49

-4.47%

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

$0.92 TTD 6.13

$1.05 TTD 7.06

-12.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.42

$0.81 TTD 5.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 TTD 24.58

$1.81 TTD 12.12

102.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.30

$3.07 TTD 20.55

-6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 TTD 15.15

$2.63 TTD 17.63

-14.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 TTD 15.42

$2.77 TTD 18.57

-16.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.46

$2.62 TTD 17.56

10.69%

Eggs

$4.48 TTD 30.01

$5.10 TTD 34.14

-12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 TTD 48.75

$8.05 TTD 53.9

-9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 TTD 49.25

$10.28 TTD 68.9

-28.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 TTD 49.98

$14.42 TTD 96.6

-48.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.97 TTD 46.69

$5.71 TTD 38.28

22.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 TTD 15.83

$2.51 TTD 16.84

-5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.58

$4.37 TTD 29.28

-33.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.41

$4.77 TTD 31.96

-39.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.11

$1.50 TTD 10.06

-19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 TTD 8.04

$1.66 TTD 11.13

-27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 TTD 10.67

$1.87 TTD 12.54

-14.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 TTD 8.76

$1.39 TTD 9.30

-5.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 TTD 32.35

$5.93 TTD 39.76

-18.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.73 TTD 146

$18.45 TTD 124

17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 TTD 22.91

$2.21 TTD 14.83

54.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 TTD 22.59

$2.82 TTD 18.91

19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 TTD 5.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 TTD 5.06

$1.01 TTD 6.77

-24.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$1.27 TTD 8.49

-39.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 TTD 102

$14.63 TTD 98.0

4.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 TTD 6.94

$1.10 TTD 7.35

-5.45%

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

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

$34.0K TTD 227.9K

-21.54%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

$38.8K TTD 259.8K

4.29%

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

$79.4 TTD 532

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

$46.87 TTD 314

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 TTD 404

$62.2 TTD 417

-3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 TTD 366

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 TTD 101

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 TTD 49.79

$9.72 TTD 65.1

-23.56%

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

$96.9 TTD 649

$328 TTD 2,198

-70.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,171 TTD 48.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 346

$58.5 TTD 392

-11.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 TTD 310

$38.33 TTD 257

20.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 TTD 1,029

$147 TTD 986

4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 TTD 469

$127 TTD 850

-44.89%

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

30.11%

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

Last update for Tobago: May 31, 2026

Last update for Carenage: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Tobago versus $88.0 in Carenage. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $374 – 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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,673 per month in Tobago and $1,391 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 $88.0 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 $927, than in Tobago at $1,115. 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.