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 $1,115 per month in Tobago vs $1,334 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,875 per month in Tobago vs $2,070 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,634 per month in Tobago vs $2,807 in San Juan, rent included.

Tobago is about 16% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Tobago sits 17% below the global median, while San Juan is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 TTD 60.2

$7.55 TTD 50.6

19.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 TTD 439

$59.2 TTD 397

10.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 TTD 48.47

$7.28 TTD 48.77

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$3.63 TTD 24.32

$3.67 TTD 24.61

-1.09%

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

$0.92 TTD 6.13

$1.08 TTD 7.24

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.42

$0.71 TTD 4.79

14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 TTD 24.58

$1.81 TTD 12.13

102.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.30

$2.97 TTD 19.90

-3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 TTD 15.15

$2.73 TTD 18.27

-17.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 TTD 15.42

$2.68 TTD 17.95

-14.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.46

$2.69 TTD 17.99

7.81%

Eggs

$4.48 TTD 30.01

$5.14 TTD 34.42

-12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 TTD 48.75

$8.12 TTD 54.4

-10.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 TTD 49.25

$10.52 TTD 70.5

-30.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 TTD 49.98

$14.07 TTD 94.3

-46.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.97 TTD 46.69

$5.66 TTD 37.91

23.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 TTD 15.83

$2.51 TTD 16.82

-5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.58

$4.26 TTD 28.52

-31.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.41

$4.70 TTD 31.48

-38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.11

$1.43 TTD 9.55

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 TTD 8.04

$1.68 TTD 11.24

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 TTD 10.67

$1.88 TTD 12.60

-15.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 TTD 8.76

$1.40 TTD 9.40

-6.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 TTD 32.35

$6.00 TTD 40.23

-19.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.73 TTD 146

$18.56 TTD 124

17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 TTD 22.91

$2.19 TTD 14.65

56.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 TTD 22.59

$2.69 TTD 18.03

25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 TTD 5.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 TTD 5.06

$1.01 TTD 6.79

-24.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$1.23 TTD 8.26

-37.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 TTD 102

$14.85 TTD 99.5

2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 TTD 6.94

$1.10 TTD 7.36

-5.45%

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

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

$34.6K TTD 231.8K

-22.88%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

$38.7K TTD 259.1K

4.60%

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

$81.1 TTD 543

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

$47.47 TTD 318

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 TTD 404

$61.1 TTD 409

-1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 TTD 366

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 TTD 101

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 TTD 49.79

$9.90 TTD 66.3

-24.95%

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

$96.9 TTD 649

$324 TTD 2,172

-70.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,326 TTD 49.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 346

$58.8 TTD 394

-12.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 TTD 310

$38.82 TTD 260

19.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 TTD 1,029

$149 TTD 997

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 TTD 469

$127 TTD 852

-44.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 TTD 2,767

$737 TTD 4,937

-43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 TTD 2,283

$452 TTD 3,026

-24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 TTD 5,394

$1,052 TTD 7,051

-23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 TTD 4,420

$744 TTD 4,988

-11.38%

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 San Juan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $413 in Tobago versus $737 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 $59.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Tobago vs $374 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 Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,673 per month in Tobago and $2,001 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 $1,115 in Tobago and $1,334 in San Juan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $96.9 per month in Tobago and $324 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 $1,115, than in San Juan at $1,334. 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.