Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and St John

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $320 a month against $2,889 in Cruz Bay, rent and utilities included – about $30,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,889

/mo nomad

St John

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$320

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cruz Bay and in St John

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 St John actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,889 in Cruz Bay versus $320 in St John.

Cruz Bay $2,889
St John $320

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,680 in Cruz Bay versus $926 in St John.

Cruz Bay $4,680
St John $926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,471 in Cruz Bay versus $1,533 in St John.

Cruz Bay $6,471
St John $1,533

Living in Cruz Bay is roughly 803% more expensive than in St John, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cruz Bay is 113% above, St John is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 $30.27

$19.79 $19.79

52.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 $91.8

$176 $176

-47.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.12 $17.12

Cappuccino

$8.84 $8.84

$7.03 $7.03

25.75%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.07 $3.07

-5.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.99 $1.99

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$8.23 $8.23

-0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$7.88 $7.88

13.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$7.80 $7.80

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.56 $15.56

Apples (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

Wine (Bottle)

$24.92 $24.92

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

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

$354 $354

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

$140 $140

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 $60.3

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 $89.3

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K $13.2K

$13.5K $13.5K

-2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,521 $3,521

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$12.7K $12.7K

-14.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,318 $6,318

$5,157 $5,157

22.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

-29.08%

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

Last update for Cruz Bay: October 19, 2026

Last update for St John: October 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cruz Bay pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $92.0 in Cruz Bay vs $176 in St John for two.

Good to know

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 St John

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

Same time as Cruz Bay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,743

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cruz Bay St John 4 km

From you

Cruz Bay
St John

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 St John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cruz Bay and St John differ by about 803% in total monthly costs ($2,889 vs $320 including rent). St John is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Cruz Bay, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in St John – a meal for two runs $176 versus $92.0 in Cruz Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,889 per month in Cruz Bay versus $320 in St John – a 803% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $320 in St John versus $2,889 in Cruz Bay, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St John but tight or insufficient in Cruz Bay. The gap between the two cities makes St John 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.

Safety-wise, Cruz Bay and St John are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find St John gentler on the wallet – expenses run 803% less than in Cruz Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.