Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Santa Cruz versus $872 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,438 in Santa Cruz versus $1,427 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,998 in Santa Cruz versus $1,982 in Alexandria.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 1% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz 35% lower, Alexandria 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.37 JMD 1,159

$7.58 JMD 1,193

-2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 JMD 9,958

$63.0 JMD 9,901

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,407

$8.53 JMD 1,341

4.92%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 693

$4.45 JMD 700

-1.12%

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

$1.31 JMD 205

$1.36 JMD 214

-3.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.75 JMD 118

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 JMD 397

$2.57 JMD 404

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$3.20 JMD 503

-0.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.23 JMD 665

$4.36 JMD 686

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 549

$3.47 JMD 545

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 248

$1.63 JMD 257

-3.07%

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 538

$3.60 JMD 566

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 JMD 1,768

$10.99 JMD 1,729

2.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 JMD 1,030

$6.45 JMD 1,014

1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 JMD 1,187

$7.56 JMD 1,189

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 938

$5.98 JMD 941

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.09 JMD 487

2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 JMD 650

$4.25 JMD 668

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 472

$2.93 JMD 461

2.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 JMD 326

$2.00 JMD 315

3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.93 JMD 303

0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$3.00 JMD 471

-0.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$1.44 JMD 227

1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.01 JMD 1,417

$8.87 JMD 1,395

1.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,804

$11.58 JMD 1,822

-0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 449

$2.88 JMD 453

-1.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 506

$3.17 JMD 498

1.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.12 JMD 176

-2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.19 JMD 502

-0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 967

$6.32 JMD 995

-2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.27 JMD 200

-3.15%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-0.07%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

0.78%

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

$162 JMD 25.4K

$165 JMD 25.9K

-1.85%

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

$22.34 JMD 3,514

$22.41 JMD 3,525

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$51.1 JMD 8,044

-1.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 JMD 2,034

$13.35 JMD 2,100

-3.15%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$229 JMD 36.0K

-1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,445 JMD 384.5K

$2,491 JMD 391.7K

-1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.26 JMD 4,130

$26.28 JMD 4,133

-0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,092

$25.90 JMD 4,075

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

$70.2 JMD 11.0K

2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 JMD 11.7K

$77.0 JMD 12.1K

-3.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 JMD 63.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 8, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Santa Cruz vs $63.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $350 per month, with Santa Cruz 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

Santa Cruz vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz and Alexandria differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($879 vs $872 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,318 in Santa Cruz and $1,308 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $226 in Santa Cruz versus $229 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $63.0 in Santa Cruz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Alexandria gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.