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: $878 in Santa Cruz versus $884 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Santa Cruz versus $1,425 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,981 in Santa Cruz versus $1,967 in Alexandria.

Living in Santa Cruz costs roughly 1% less than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz 35% lower, Alexandria 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 JMD 1,213

$7.61 JMD 1,205

0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,819

$62.2 JMD 9,837

-0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 JMD 1,407

$8.76 JMD 1,386

1.48%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 695

$4.27 JMD 677

2.81%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$1.36 JMD 216

-3.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.74 JMD 118

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 405

$2.49 JMD 393

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 498

$3.17 JMD 501

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.44 JMD 703

$4.42 JMD 700

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 JMD 573

$3.65 JMD 577

-0.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 246

$1.56 JMD 247

-0.64%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 550

$3.57 JMD 565

-2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 JMD 1,727

$11.17 JMD 1,768

-2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,029

$6.37 JMD 1,008

2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 JMD 1,216

$7.72 JMD 1,222

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 948

$6.13 JMD 970

-2.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 499

$3.02 JMD 478

4.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 JMD 682

$4.19 JMD 663

2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 468

$3.05 JMD 483

-2.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$2.03 JMD 321

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 320

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 JMD 490

$2.97 JMD 471

4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 237

$1.51 JMD 239

-0.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.68 JMD 1,374

$8.56 JMD 1,356

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 JMD 1,801

$11.56 JMD 1,830

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 455

$2.87 JMD 454

0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 510

$3.07 JMD 486

4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$1.09 JMD 172

2.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 JMD 517

$3.23 JMD 511

1.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 968

$6.28 JMD 994

-2.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.24 JMD 196

-0.81%

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

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

$42.1K JMD 6.7M

3.20%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-1.37%

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

$161 JMD 25.5K

$164 JMD 25.9K

-1.62%

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

$21.96 JMD 3,476

$21.90 JMD 3,466

0.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,200

$50.7 JMD 8,025

2.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 JMD 2,043

$13.12 JMD 2,077

-1.60%

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

$225 JMD 35.6K

$225 JMD 35.5K

0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,521 JMD 398.9K

$2,490 JMD 394.1K

1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.24 JMD 4,153

$26.58 JMD 4,208

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.28 JMD 4,001

$25.46 JMD 4,029

-0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 JMD 11.2K

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

-2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

0.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 JMD 63.4K

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Santa Cruz and $0 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62 in Santa Cruz vs $62 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $354 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 ($878 vs $884 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,317 in Santa Cruz and $1,326 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 $225 in Santa Cruz versus $225 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $62.0 in Alexandria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Alexandria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.