Cost of Living Comparison Between Road Town and Tortola Cost of Living Comparison Between Road Town and Tortola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,791 in Road Town versus $2,531 in Tortola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,869 in Road Town versus $4,319 in Tortola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,947 in Road Town versus $6,108 in Tortola.

Living in Road Town is roughly 10% more expensive than Tortola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Road Town 108% above, Tortola 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$29.16 $29.16

-30.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$76.0 $76.0

4.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 $11.29

$14.77 $14.77

-23.56%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$7.54 $7.54

-35.41%

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

$2.11 $2.11

$1.80 $1.80

17.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.37 $1.37

18.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.40 $3.40

21.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.93 $3.93

-53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.69 $2.69

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.19 $5.19

-9.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$6.91 $6.91

-43.56%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$7.37 $7.37

-31.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$12.83 $12.83

40.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$13.11 $13.11

-24.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 $14.73

$20.38 $20.38

-27.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.28 $3.28

14.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.95 $3.95

-24.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.03 $2.03

-2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$7.41 $7.41

-11.74%

Potato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.95 $5.95

-24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.86 $4.86

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.41 $6.41

$11.89 $11.89

-46.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.92 $4.92

0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 $11.20

$11.09 $11.09

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.47 $5.47

$4.04 $4.04

35.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 $3.91

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

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

$160 $160

$127 $127

25.53%

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

$83.0 $83.0

$101 $101

-17.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$126 $126

$115 $115

9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$120 $120

1.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 $19.91

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 $10.17

$14.72 $14.72

-30.91%

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

$381 $381

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.62 $46.62

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 $56.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 $132

$181 $181

-26.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$111 $111

25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 $1,685

$1,241 $1,241

35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$1,019 $1,019

33.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,416 $4,416

$2,972 $2,972

48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,705 $3,705

$2,791 $2,791

32.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 $1,716

$1,790 $1,790

-4.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

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

Last update for Road Town: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tortola: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,685 in Road Town and $1,241 in Tortola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tortola pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Road Town vs $76.0 in Tortola. Groceries flip the comparison at $454 vs $504, with Road Town cheaper for home cooking.

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

Road Town vs Tortola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tortola is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tortola earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,685 in Road Town versus $1,241 in Tortola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Road Town pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Tortola – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $79.0 in Road Town. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Tortola 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, Road Town and Tortola 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 Tortola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Road Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.