8 Best Suburbs for Expats outside of Port of Spain, Trinidad

In Port of Spain, Trinidad there are several suburbs where expats tend to live because of their proximity to schools and safety. West of the city, Westmoorings, Goodwood Park and Glencoe are very popular among expats. North and northeast of the city, Maraval, Moka, Cascade and St. Ann are popular choices. Further out of the city to the east, you'll find Trincity. One expat offered some helpful advice about how to decide where to live. She said, "Think about your daily life and plan accordingly. Are you willing to fight traffic to live up in the hills or nearer to the beach? We weren't after doing that in California, so we chose a location close to our school and my husband's office. He has about a 15 min commute. I truly like living in beautiful Trinidad and especially the friendly, family-oriented culture. My kids have settled in, I'm happy with the school, and I've learned my way around town. Life is good, you just have to cultivate the right attitude!"

1. Westmoorings, Trinidad

About 4 miles west along the coastline from downtown Port of Spain, you will find the popular expat suburb of Westmoorings. International School Port of Spain (ISPS) is located in Westmoorings. Rents range from US $4,000 for a 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom fully furnished apartment with ocean views to US $5,500 for a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath house with a pool within walking distance of ISPS.

An expat living in Westmoorings said, "We chose Westmoorings since our kids attend the nearby International School - they can walk back and forth and I don't have to fight the traffic. Traffic can be very congested, but it's usually at predictable times, so you can avoid it if you plan your travel accordingly. I do pick my kids up if they stay at school until dark, which is around 5:30 here every evening. Day length varies only about 20 min in the course of a year since we're so near the equator. We rent a house near the ocean - it's bigger than our house in California. Housing costs are relatively the same as the Bay Area where we came from. I understand that compared to other parts of the US it seems steep, but it's very comparable to the housing costs we were used to near San Francisco. We kept our house in California and have rented it out, so this move has actually lessened our housing costs. We are assisted in the rent by my husband's company - this is typical of the company-sponsored ex-pats stationed here for a few years. The neighborhood is wealthy Trinis or ex-pats. We have an alarm and gates and decorative bars on the windows - everyone here does. I feel safe enough here, but you do still have to be aware and careful. But it's no different from living in a big city in the US - you have to pay attention and be smart about security."

"Early in the morning and between 6-7 pm Westmoorings is full of people walking, walking their dogs, running or hanging out at the park. It's safe and everyone goes out before the day gets too hot (before 7-8 am) or after the sun sets (starting at ~6pm). I run at night, usually at 7pm but have done it at 7:30-8pm and it's very safe, and as I said, I don't live in a gated area, people just run around the neighborhood. Also, we walk our dogs right after dinner (~9pm) and one last short walk around 11pm and it's still safe. There are security cars circling the neighborhood all day," explained another expat in Westmoorings.

2. Goodwood Park, Trinidad

About a mile further west, you'll find another popular expat suburb named Goodwood Park. Typical rents range from US $1,500 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath basic apartment with a pool in the complex to US $6,500 for a beautiful 4 bedroom home with a private pool and views of the gulf and Yacht club.

3. Glencoe, Trinidad

The next neighborhood to the west of Goodwood Park and Westmoorings is Glencoe. Rents range from US $2,800 for a 3 bedroom townhome with a rooftop Jacuzzi to US $4,800 for a 3 bedroom, 3 bath penthouse apartment with ocean views.

4. Maraval, Trinidad

When there's no traffic, the 3 mile trip from Port of Spain to the southern part of the suburb of Maraval takes about 10 minutes. "Traffic in general is pretty bad during rush hour, but I've heard that Maraval can get a bit worse than other areas. However, it is a very nice area," advised one expat in Trinidad. Another expat said, "In Maraval is Fairways (compound) which a lot of expats live in, and if you got a house in the southern half of Maraval it is not too far of a commute (traffic is the main issue with this location)." Typical rents in Maraval range from $1,800 for a basic 3 bedroom townhouse in a gated compound to $6,500 for a home in a gated compound on a golf course.

5. Moka, Trinidad

Moka is a section of northern Maraval and home to St. Andrews Golf Course, Trinity College and many high-end homes. "My best friend here is British and her 3 girls are at St. Andrews and she loves it, and they live in Moka so a bit farther out but you get more for your money there. Traffic is a pain though as it is a 2 lane road," explained one expat. For US $3,500, you can rent a 4 bedroom semi-furnished home with a pool and golf course view in Moka.

6. St Anns, Trinidad

Just to the northeast of Port of Spain, you'll find the neighborhood of St Anns. It's a 10-20 minute ride into the city when traffic is light. Rents in St Anns range from US $1,350 for a basic 2 bedroom apartment to US $5,500 for a luxury 3 bedroom apartment.

7. Cascade, Trinidad

Also northeast of Port of Spain is the upscale suburb of Cascade. Rents in Cascade range from US $850 for a 1 bedroom townhome with a pool in a gated compound to US $5,500 for a luxury 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath apartment in a gated complex with a pool, gym and gardens.

8. Trincity, Trinidad

15 miles or 40 minutes by car to the east of Port of Spain, you'll find Trincity, Trinidad "We live in Trincity - Millenium Park and love it. It is so close to the airport and the largest mall in Trinidad. We feel very safe living in this area. The down side to this part of the island is that if you want to get to Port of Spain in the a.m. you must leave home before 6:30 a.m. to make it without major traffic. There are wonderful restaurants in the mall that are very classy. The golf course is across the street. I would highly recommend this area and the best part are the prices are lower than on the West Side of town," explained on expat living in Trincity.