Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and St Thomas Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and St Thomas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Cruz Bay versus $4,364 in St Thomas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,575 in Cruz Bay versus $7,069 in St Thomas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,330 in Cruz Bay versus $9,773 in St Thomas.

Living in Cruz Bay costs roughly 35% less than in St Thomas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cruz Bay 111% above, St Thomas 227% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.58 $30.58

$20.24 $20.24

51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 $91.9

$161 $161

-42.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.06 $17.06

$12.11 $12.11

40.88%

Cappuccino

$9.25 $9.25

$6.84 $6.84

35.23%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$4.07 $4.07

-24.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.45 $3.45

14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.65 $6.65

20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.05 $9.05

$9.83 $9.83

-7.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.53 $2.53

37.15%

White Bread (500g)

$6.58 $6.58

Rice (white) (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$8.88 $8.88

-42.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$31.84 $31.84

-51.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.10 $39.10

Apples (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$12.04 $12.04

-28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

Oranges (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

Tomato (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

Onion (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

Lettuce (1 head)

$8.12 $8.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$24.65 $24.65

$24.85 $24.85

-0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.32 $20.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 $3.19

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

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

$55.5K $55.5K

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

$38.1K $38.1K

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

$356 $356

$394 $394

-9.64%

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

$139 $139

$100 $100

39.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$132 $132

-54.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.2 $90.2

$126 $126

-28.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

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

$1,507 $1,507

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K $13.1K

$21.7K $21.7K

-39.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 $117

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$148 $148

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$198 $198

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$1,443 $1,443

26.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 $1,525

$1,796 $1,796

-15.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,505 $3,505

$3,200 $3,200

9.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,473 $3,473

$4,188 $4,188

-17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$4,841 $4,841

126.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,279 $6,279

$2,801 $2,801

124.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

Last update for Cruz Bay: July 13, 2026

Last update for St Thomas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,823 in Cruz Bay and $1,443 in St Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cruz Bay pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Cruz Bay vs $161 in St Thomas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $980 per month, with Cruz Bay cheaper across the board.

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 Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cruz Bay and St Thomas differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($2,821 vs $4,364 including rent). Cruz Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 124% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,823 in Cruz Bay versus $1,443 in St Thomas. 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 $92.0 versus $161 in St Thomas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,821 per month in Cruz Bay versus $4,364 in St Thomas – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Cruz Bay is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Thomas 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 Cruz Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in St Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.