Cost of Living Comparison Between Tobago and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Tobago and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Tobago vs $1,355 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Tobago vs $2,082 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,630 per month in Tobago vs $2,810 in San Juan, rent included.

Tobago is about 16% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Tobago sits 15% below the global median, while San Juan is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.95 TTD 60.3

$7.25 TTD 48.85

23.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 TTD 445

$58.2 TTD 392

13.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 TTD 48.48

$7.57 TTD 51.0

-5.02%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.78

$3.79 TTD 25.57

-2.90%

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

$0.71 TTD 4.80

14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 TTD 25.04

$1.90 TTD 12.78

95.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.13

$2.90 TTD 19.58

3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 TTD 15.89

$2.77 TTD 18.65

-14.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 TTD 15.56

$2.84 TTD 19.12

-18.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.65

$2.71 TTD 18.29

7.75%

Eggs

$4.54 TTD 30.61

$5.10 TTD 34.39

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 TTD 48.71

$8.07 TTD 54.4

-10.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 TTD 50.1

$10.39 TTD 70.0

-28.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 TTD 48.58

$14.11 TTD 95.1

-48.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.02 TTD 47.29

$5.76 TTD 38.82

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.67

$2.58 TTD 17.37

-4.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 TTD 19.81

$4.27 TTD 28.81

-31.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 TTD 20.25

$4.77 TTD 32.16

-37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.14

$1.48 TTD 9.95

-18.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.13

$1.66 TTD 11.20

-27.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 TTD 10.56

$1.96 TTD 13.22

-19.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TTD 8.76

$1.40 TTD 9.46

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 TTD 31.45

$5.92 TTD 39.92

-21.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.60 TTD 146

$19.37 TTD 131

11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 TTD 22.76

$2.12 TTD 14.32

59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 TTD 23.10

$2.74 TTD 18.48

25.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 TTD 4.82

$1.05 TTD 7.09

-31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.87

$1.26 TTD 8.51

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.48 TTD 104

$14.93 TTD 101

3.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 TTD 6.88

$1.13 TTD 7.62

-9.73%

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

$26.7K TTD 179.8K

$34.1K TTD 229.7K

-21.71%

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

$39.7K TTD 267.6K

$38.5K TTD 259.7K

3.03%

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

$80.0 TTD 539

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

$47.34 TTD 319

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 TTD 393

$61.0 TTD 411

-4.52%

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

$10.11 TTD 68.1

-26.71%

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

$95.7 TTD 645

$327 TTD 2,203

-70.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 TTD 49.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 TTD 342

$59.9 TTD 403

-15.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 TTD 317

$38.59 TTD 260

21.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 TTD 1,029

$149 TTD 1,003

2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 TTD 457

$126 TTD 852

-46.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 TTD 2,714

$744 TTD 5,013

-45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 TTD 2,357

$440 TTD 2,966

-20.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 TTD 5,395

$1,035 TTD 6,976

-22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 TTD 4,564

$753 TTD 5,078

-10.13%

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 San Juan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Tobago versus $744 in San Juan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Tobago versus $58.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in Tobago vs $378 in San Juan – so Tobago wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 20% more than Tobago, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,699 per month in Tobago and $2,032 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tobago, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,133 in Tobago and $1,355 in San Juan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $95.7 per month in Tobago and $327 in San Juan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tobago, where all-in costs run around $1,133, than in San Juan at $1,355. In Tobago it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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