Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and Saint Croix

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Croix: $833 a month against $2,911 in Cruz Bay, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,911

/mo nomad

Saint Croix

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$833

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cruz Bay and in Saint Croix

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 Saint Croix actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,911 in Cruz Bay versus $833 in Saint Croix.

Cruz Bay $2,911
Saint Croix $833

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,707 in Cruz Bay versus $1,693 in Saint Croix.

Cruz Bay $4,707
Saint Croix $1,693

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,503 in Cruz Bay versus $2,553 in Saint Croix.

Cruz Bay $6,503
Saint Croix $2,553

Living in Cruz Bay is roughly 250% more expensive than in Saint Croix.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cruz Bay is 114% above, Saint Croix is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 $30.27

$40.18 $40.18

-24.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 $94.2

$149 $149

-36.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.90 $16.90

$10.10 $10.10

67.33%

Cappuccino

$9.04 $9.04

$7.48 $7.48

20.86%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$3.28 $3.28

-8.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.08 $3.08

32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$6.18 $6.18

31.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 $9.26

$8.12 $8.12

14.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$8.08 $8.08

$2.55 $2.55

216.86%

White Bread (500g)

$6.89 $6.89

Rice (white) (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

$8.49 $8.49

-42.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.36 $22.36

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

Apples (1kg)

$9.01 $9.01

$10.99 $10.99

-18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.91 $5.91

Wine (Bottle)

$24.63 $24.63

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

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

$354 $354

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

$138 $138

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 $59.0

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.2 $90.2

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K $13.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$2,454 $2,454

-27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 $1,509

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,525 $3,525

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,533 $3,533

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,147 $6,147

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Croix: October 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,778 in Cruz Bay and $2,454 in Saint Croix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94 in Cruz Bay vs $149 in Saint Croix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $318 per month, with Cruz Bay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 Saint Croix

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

Same time as Cruz Bay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,743

50,601

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cruz Bay Saint Croix 67 km

From you

Cruz Bay
Saint Croix

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 Saint Croix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,911 in Cruz Bay and $833 in Saint Croix, so Saint Croix is about 71% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $4,367 in Cruz Bay and $1,249 in Saint Croix 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,778 in Cruz Bay versus $2,454 in Saint Croix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cruz Bay – a meal for two runs $94 versus $149 in Saint Croix. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,911 per month in Cruz Bay versus $833 in Saint Croix – Saint Croix is about 71% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $833 in Saint Croix versus $2,911 in Cruz Bay, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Saint Croix but tight or insufficient in Cruz Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Croix the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.