Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Santa Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Santa Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Alexandria versus $1,319 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,734 in Alexandria versus $2,032 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,420 in Alexandria versus $2,745 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 21% less than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 24% lower, Santa Cruz 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 JMD 2,509

$7.51 JMD 1,180

112.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

$62.6 JMD 9,839

18.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,413

$6.53 JMD 1,025

37.67%

Cappuccino

$5.46 JMD 858

$5.37 JMD 844

1.68%

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

$1.19 JMD 187

$1.25 JMD 196

-4.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 114

$0.68 JMD 107

7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 JMD 351

$2.26 JMD 355

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 487

$3.12 JMD 490

-0.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.23 JMD 665

$4.21 JMD 661

0.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 JMD 580

$2.53 JMD 397

45.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 247

$1.62 JMD 254

-3.09%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 560

$3.53 JMD 554

1.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 JMD 1,764

$11.47 JMD 1,802

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 JMD 979

$6.35 JMD 998

-1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 JMD 1,615

$10.43 JMD 1,638

-1.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 JMD 951

$5.98 JMD 939

1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 JMD 605

$3.93 JMD 618

-2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.51 JMD 1,179

$7.46 JMD 1,171

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 470

$2.98 JMD 469

0.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 JMD 527

$3.22 JMD 506

4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 JMD 411

$2.61 JMD 411

0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 JMD 498

$3.15 JMD 495

0.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 237

$1.44 JMD 226

4.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.64 JMD 1,515

$9.61 JMD 1,510

0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 JMD 1,798

$11.48 JMD 1,803

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 446

$2.95 JMD 463

-3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 JMD 610

$3.95 JMD 620

-1.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 JMD 192

$1.19 JMD 187

2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 508

$3.07 JMD 482

5.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$6.42 JMD 1,009

0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.38 JMD 217

-2.17%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

0.11%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-0.20%

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

$173 JMD 27.1K

$178 JMD 27.9K

-2.88%

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

$29.46 JMD 4,628

$28.99 JMD 4,554

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 JMD 8,324

$52.1 JMD 8,178

1.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 JMD 5,829

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 JMD 2,058

$13.09 JMD 2,056

0.08%

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

$360 JMD 56.5K

$361 JMD 56.7K

-0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,278 JMD 1.3M

$8,150 JMD 1.3M

1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 JMD 3,771

$24.06 JMD 3,780

-0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.13 JMD 4,890

$31.68 JMD 4,977

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 JMD 12.4K

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

3.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 JMD 16.5K

$105 JMD 16.4K

0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 JMD 79.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 JMD 64.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

Last update for Alexandria: September 6, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $74.0 in Alexandria vs $63.0 in Santa Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $374 per month, with Santa Cruz cheaper across the board.

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

Alexandria vs Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria and Santa Cruz differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $1,319 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,572 in Alexandria and $1,978 in Santa Cruz to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $360 in Alexandria versus $361 in Santa Cruz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $63.0 in Santa Cruz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Alexandria gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.