Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and Charlotte Amalie

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.

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Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,875

/mo nomad

Charlotte Amalie

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,365

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cruz Bay costs about 22% more than Charlotte Amalie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 $30.25

$25.12 $25.12

20.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 $94.1

$118 $118

-20.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.71 $16.71

$12.79 $12.79

30.65%

Cappuccino

$9.25 $9.25

$7.22 $7.22

28.12%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$3.05 $3.05

-3.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.46 $2.46

67.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$5.39 $5.39

45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 $8.85

$6.93 $6.93

27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$8.03 $8.03

$2.79 $2.79

187.81%

White Bread (500g)

$8.86 $8.86

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$7.17 $7.17

-30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.59 $15.59

Apples (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 $4.92

Wine (Bottle)

$25.21 $25.21

$19.93 $19.93

26.49%

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)

$352 $352

$301 $301

16.82%

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

$139 $139

$61.0 $61.0

128.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$101 $101

-40.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.0 $90.0

$199 $199

-54.86%

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)

$1,820 $1,820

$1,261 $1,261

44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$1,006 $1,006

46.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,482 $3,482

$3,493 $3,493

-0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,454 $3,454

$3,014 $3,014

14.62%

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 Cruz Bay: November 1, 2026

Last update for Charlotte Amalie: November 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Good to know

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 Charlotte Amalie

🕒 Local time

15:19 3:19 PM

Same time as Cruz Bay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,743

14,477 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Cruz Bay Charlotte Amalie 15 km

From you

Cruz Bay
Charlotte Amalie

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

Cruz Bay vs Charlotte Amalie: 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 $4,313 per month in Cruz Bay and $3,547 in Charlotte Amalie. 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 $94 in Cruz Bay and $118 in Charlotte Amalie. 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.