Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Frederiksted and Cruz Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Frederiksted: $347 a month against $2,911 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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Frederiksted

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$347

/mo nomad

Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,911

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Frederiksted 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 Frederiksted and in Cruz Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $347 in Frederiksted versus $2,911 in Cruz Bay.

Frederiksted $347
Cruz Bay $2,911

Estimated couple costs with rent: $739 in Frederiksted versus $4,707 in Cruz Bay.

Frederiksted $739
Cruz Bay $4,707

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,132 in Frederiksted versus $6,503 in Cruz Bay.

Frederiksted $1,132
Cruz Bay $6,503

Living in Frederiksted costs roughly 88% less than in Cruz Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Frederiksted is 75% below, Cruz Bay is 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.53 $29.53

$30.27 $30.27

-2.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$94.2 $94.2

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.90 $16.90

Cappuccino

$9.04 $9.04

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

$2.99 $2.99

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 $6.89

$8.11 $8.11

-15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.26 $9.26

-13.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$8.08 $8.08

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

Apples (1kg)

$9.01 $9.01

Wine (Bottle)

$24.63 $24.63

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)

$59.9 $59.9

$90.2 $90.2

-33.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K $13.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$1,778 $1,778

-25.13%

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 Frederiksted: October 27, 2026

Last update for Cruz Bay: October 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,332 in Frederiksted and $1,778 in Cruz Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $79 in Frederiksted vs $94 in Cruz Bay for two.

Good to know

🇻🇮 Frederiksted

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

Same time as Frederiksted

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

528

2,743

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Frederiksted Cruz Bay 69 km

From you

Frederiksted
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

Frederiksted vs Cruz Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $347 in Frederiksted and $2,911 in Cruz Bay, so Frederiksted is about 88% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $520 in Frederiksted and $4,367 in Cruz Bay 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: $1,332 in Frederiksted versus $1,778 in Cruz Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Frederiksted – a meal for two runs $79 versus $94 in Cruz Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $347 per month in Frederiksted versus $2,911 in Cruz Bay – Frederiksted is about 88% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $347 in Frederiksted versus $2,911 in Cruz Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Frederiksted but tight or insufficient in Cruz Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Frederiksted the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Safety-wise, Frederiksted and Cruz Bay are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.