Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Canaries and Castries

For one person, living is cheaper in the Canaries: $187 a month against $1,438 in Castries, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year.

70

Cost of Living Index in Castries
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Castries Living Index

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Canaries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$187

/mo nomad

Castries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$1,438

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Canaries and in Castries

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Canaries and in Castries actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $187 per month in the Canaries vs $1,438 in Castries, rent included.

Canaries $187
Castries $1,438

A couple spends around $275 per month in the Canaries vs $2,357 in Castries, rent included.

Canaries $275
Castries $2,357

A family of three spends $364 per month in the Canaries vs $3,276 in Castries, rent included.

Canaries $364
Castries $3,276

Canaries is about 87% cheaper than Castries, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Canaries sits 86% below the global median, while Castries is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.45 EC$25.52

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 EC$199

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 EC$23.12

Cappuccino

$3.81 EC$10.29

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

$1.98 EC$5.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 EC$2.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 EC$7.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 EC$8.75

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 EC$5.48

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 EC$4.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 EC$4.46

Eggs

$4.74 EC$12.81

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 EC$29.69

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 EC$24.46

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 EC$39.15

Apples (1kg)

$8.79 EC$23.73

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 EC$4.34

Oranges (1kg)

$8.28 EC$22.36

Tomato (1kg)

$14.53 EC$39.22

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 EC$9.31

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 EC$5.37

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 EC$6.16

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 EC$3.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 EC$24.77

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 EC$29.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 EC$5.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 EC$14.57

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 EC$2.93

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 EC$25.57

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 EC$4.21

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

$26.0K EC$70.1K

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

$37.1K EC$100.2K

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

$121 EC$327

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

$87.8 EC$237

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.26 EC$133

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 EC$111

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 EC$15.30

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

$214 EC$579

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 EC$222

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 EC$137

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 EC$294

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 EC$301

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 EC$505

$449 EC$1,212

-58.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 EC$506

$347 EC$937

-46.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 EC$805

$1,222 EC$3,300

-75.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 EC$982

$707 EC$1,910

-48.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$187 EC$506

$102 EC$274

84.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$261 EC$704

$64.5 EC$174

304.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,093 EC$2,952

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

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

Last update for the Canaries: October 19, 2026

Last update for Castries: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Canaries

–

Castries

$428 29.7%

Accommodation & Living

Canaries

–

Castries

$347 24.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Canaries

–

Castries

$258 18%

Eating Out

Canaries

–

Castries

$179 12.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Canaries

–

Castries

$159 11.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Canaries

–

Castries

$53 3.7%

Getting Around

Canaries

–

Castries

$14 * 1%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $187 in the Canaries versus $449 in Castries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇱🇨 Canaries

🇱🇨 Castries

🕒 Local time

22:42 10:42 PM

Same time as the Canaries

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,862

22,000 Capital

💱 Currency

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Canaries Castries 14 km

From you

Canaries
Castries

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Canaries vs Castries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries costs about 667% more than the Canaries, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $281 per month in the Canaries and $2,157 in Castries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in the Canaries, where all-in costs run around $187, than in Castries at $1,438. In Canaries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castries it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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