Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Cruz Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Charlotte Amalie: $2,365 a month against $2,875 in Cruz Bay, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cruz Bay outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Jump to prices

Charlotte Amalie

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,365

/mo nomad

Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,875

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Charlotte Amalie and in Cruz Bay

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

A single person spends $2,365 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $2,875 in Cruz Bay, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie $2,365
Cruz Bay $2,875

A couple spends around $4,182 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $4,650 in Cruz Bay, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie $4,182
Cruz Bay $4,650

A family of three spends $5,998 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $6,425 in Cruz Bay, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie $5,998
Cruz Bay $6,425

Charlotte Amalie is about 18% cheaper than Cruz Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Charlotte Amalie and Cruz Bay sit above the global median – Charlotte Amalie by 75%, Cruz Bay by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.12 $25.12

$30.25 $30.25

-16.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$94.1 $94.1

25.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 $12.79

$16.71 $16.71

-23.46%

Cappuccino

$7.22 $7.22

$9.25 $9.25

-21.95%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.93 $2.93

4.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.11 $4.11

-40.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.82 $7.82

-31.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$8.85 $8.85

-21.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 $2.79

$8.03 $8.03

-65.26%

White Bread (500g)

$8.86 $8.86

Eggs

$7.17 $7.17

$4.97 $4.97

44.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.59 $15.59

Apples (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 $4.92

Wine (Bottle)

$19.93 $19.93

$25.21 $25.21

-20.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.17 $6.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.93 $19.93

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

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

$45.8K $45.8K

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

$48.7K $48.7K

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

$301 $301

$352 $352

-14.40%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$139 $139

-56.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 $101

$60.5 $60.5

67.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$199 $199

$90.0 $90.0

121.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K $13.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 $1,261

$1,820 $1,820

-30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$1,473 $1,473

-31.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,493 $3,493

$3,482 $3,482

0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,014 $3,014

$3,454 $3,454

-12.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,166 $6,166

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Charlotte Amalie: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cruz Bay: November 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,261 in Charlotte Amalie versus $1,820 in Cruz Bay. 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 $118 in Charlotte Amalie versus $94 in Cruz Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Charlotte Amalie vs $273 in Cruz Bay – so Charlotte Amalie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇻🇮 Charlotte Amalie

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🕒 Local time

14:55 2:55 PM

Same time as Charlotte Amalie

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,477 Capital

2,743

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Charlotte Amalie Cruz Bay 15 km

From you

Charlotte Amalie
Cruz Bay

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

Charlotte Amalie vs Cruz Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cruz Bay is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,547 per month in Charlotte Amalie and $4,313 in Cruz Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Charlotte Amalie, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,261 there versus $1,820 in Cruz Bay.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Cruz Bay, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Charlotte Amalie and $94 in Cruz Bay. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Charlotte Amalie has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,365 in Charlotte Amalie to $2,875 in Cruz Bay. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.