Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Croix and Cruz Bay

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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Saint Croix

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$833

/mo nomad

Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,911

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Saint Croix $833
Cruz Bay $2,911

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

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

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

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

Living in Saint Croix costs roughly 71% less than in Cruz Bay.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.18 $40.18

$30.27 $30.27

32.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 $149

$94.2 $94.2

57.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 $10.10

$16.90 $16.90

-40.24%

Cappuccino

$7.48 $7.48

$9.04 $9.04

-17.26%

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

$3.28 $3.28

$2.99 $2.99

9.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.09 $4.09

-24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$8.11 $8.11

-23.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$9.26 $9.26

-12.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 $2.55

$8.08 $8.08

-68.44%

White Bread (500g)

$6.89 $6.89

Rice (white) (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

Eggs

$8.49 $8.49

$4.87 $4.87

74.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.36 $22.36

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

Apples (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$9.01 $9.01

21.98%

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)

$2,454 $2,454

$1,778 $1,778

37.98%

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 Saint Croix: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cruz Bay: October 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

Good to know

🇻🇮 Saint Croix

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🕒 Local time

21:40 9:40 PM

Same time as Saint Croix

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,601

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

Saint Croix Cruz Bay 67 km

From you

Saint Croix
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

Saint Croix vs Cruz Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You’d need roughly $1,249 in Saint Croix 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: $2,454 in Saint Croix 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 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 $833 per month in Saint Croix versus $2,911 in Cruz Bay – 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.