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North America · Port-of-Spain

Cost of living in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is 48% cheaper than the US, ranking #79 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.

World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.

Cost of living · US = 100
52.3
Ranks #79 of 203 · 48% cheaper than the US
GDP / capita (PPP)
$36,329
GNI / capita (PPP)
$36,580
Inflation · YoY
0.5%
Population
1.4M
Capital
Port-of-Spain
Density
267 /km²
Urban
54%
Area
5.1K km²

What drives the cost here

Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.

In Trinidad and Tobago, restaurants & hotels is the priciest category relative to the world (146), while housing & utilities is the most affordable (42).

Restaurants & hotels 146
Food & groceries 134
Communication 119
Health 97
Transport 89
Housing & utilities 42

Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source

Trinidad and Tobago on the map

What your money is worth here

A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $52,500 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Quality of life

60/100 · #143 of 198

Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).

Quality-of-life score
60 / 100
Our transparent equal-weight composite
Life expectancy
74 yrs
World Bank · 2024 · source
Safety · homicide /100k
40.4
UNODC · 2022 · source
Infant mortality /1k
17
World Bank · 2024 · source
Internet users
82%
ITU · 2024 · source
Safe drinking water
69%
WHO/UNICEF · 2024 · source
Air quality · PM2.5
26 µg/m³
WHO · 2020 · source

About Trinidad and Tobago

First colonized by the Spanish, Trinidad and Tobago came under British control in the early 19th century. The emancipation of enslaved people in 1834 disrupted the twin islands' sugar industry. Contract workers arriving from India between 1845 and 1917 augmented the labor force, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export that remains the country's dominant industry. Trinidad and Tobago attained independence in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime.

Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.

Frequently asked

Is Trinidad and Tobago expensive to live in?

Trinidad and Tobago is 48% cheaper than the US, ranking #79 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is restaurants & hotels; housing & utilities costs the least.

How much money do you need to live in Trinidad and Tobago?

A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $52,500 in Trinidad and Tobago, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.

Is Trinidad and Tobago cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Its overall price level is 52.3, against 100 for the United States.

What is the quality of life in Trinidad and Tobago?

Trinidad and Tobago scores 60 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#143 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 74 years.

Every number, sourced.

We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.

Price level index (US = 100)
Derived: nominal ÷ PPP GDP per capita, indexed to the US
52.3
GDP per capita (PPP)
World Bank · 2024 · source
$36,329
GNI per capita (PPP)
World Bank · 2024 · source
$36,580
Inflation (annual %)
World Bank · 2024 · source
0.5%
Population
World Bank · 2024 · source
1.4M
Population density
World Bank · 2023 · source
267 /km²
Urban population
World Bank · 2024 · source
54%
Surface area
World Bank · 2023 · source
5.1K km²

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