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: $1,319 in Santa Cruz versus $1,048 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Santa Cruz versus $1,734 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Santa Cruz versus $2,420 in Alexandria.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 26% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz 4% lower, Alexandria 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.51 JMD 1,180

$15.98 JMD 2,509

-53.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,839

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

-15.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 JMD 1,025

$8.99 JMD 1,413

-27.36%

Cappuccino

$5.37 JMD 844

$5.46 JMD 858

-1.65%

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

$1.25 JMD 196

$1.19 JMD 187

5.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

$0.73 JMD 114

-6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 JMD 355

$2.24 JMD 351

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 JMD 490

$3.10 JMD 487

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 661

$4.23 JMD 665

-0.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 JMD 397

$3.69 JMD 580

-31.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 254

$1.57 JMD 247

3.18%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$3.57 JMD 560

-1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 JMD 1,802

$11.23 JMD 1,764

2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 JMD 998

$6.23 JMD 979

1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 JMD 1,638

$10.28 JMD 1,615

1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 JMD 939

$6.06 JMD 951

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.93 JMD 618

$3.85 JMD 605

2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.46 JMD 1,171

$7.51 JMD 1,179

-0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 469

$2.99 JMD 470

-0.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 JMD 506

$3.35 JMD 527

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 JMD 411

$2.62 JMD 411

-0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.17 JMD 498

-0.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 226

$1.51 JMD 237

-4.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 JMD 1,510

$9.64 JMD 1,515

-0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,803

$11.45 JMD 1,798

0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 JMD 463

$2.84 JMD 446

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 620

$3.88 JMD 610

1.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 JMD 187

$1.22 JMD 192

-2.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 JMD 482

$3.23 JMD 508

-4.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 JMD 1,009

$6.44 JMD 1,011

-0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 JMD 217

$1.35 JMD 212

2.22%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

-0.11%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

0.20%

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

$178 JMD 27.9K

$173 JMD 27.1K

2.96%

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

$28.99 JMD 4,554

$29.46 JMD 4,628

-1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,178

$53.0 JMD 8,324

-1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 JMD 5,829

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 JMD 2,056

$13.10 JMD 2,058

-0.08%

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

$361 JMD 56.7K

$360 JMD 56.5K

0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,150 JMD 1.3M

$8,278 JMD 1.3M

-1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.06 JMD 3,780

$24.01 JMD 3,771

0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.68 JMD 4,977

$31.13 JMD 4,890

1.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$79.1 JMD 12.4K

-3.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 JMD 16.4K

$105 JMD 16.5K

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 JMD 79.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 JMD 64.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 7, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Santa Cruz vs $74.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $385 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,319 vs $1,048 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,978 in Santa Cruz and $1,572 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 $361 in Santa Cruz versus $360 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 $74.0 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 26% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.