For one person, living is cheaper in the United States: $2,785 a month against $3,886 in Sint Maarten, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Sint Maarten and in the United States
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sint Maarten and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,885 in Sint Maarten versus $2,784 in the United States.
Sint Maarten $3,885
United States $2,784
Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,711 in Sint Maarten versus $3,982 in the United States.
Sint Maarten $6,711
United States $3,982
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,537 in Sint Maarten versus $5,179 in the United States.
Sint Maarten $9,537
United States $5,179
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,174, compared to $2,355–$3,851 in Sint Maarten. City choice carries more weight in the United States.
🌍
Living in Sint Maarten is roughly 40% more expensive than in the United States on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Sint Maarten 190% above, the United States 108% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.24ANG 30.85
$20.22$20.22
-14.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5ANG 133
$81.1$81.1
-8.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.87ANG 17.67
$12.12$12.12
-18.56%
Cappuccino
$4.57ANG 8.18
$5.36$5.36
-14.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96ANG 5.30
$2.77$2.77
6.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40ANG 6.09
$2.09$2.09
62.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.97ANG 7.10
$5.84$5.84
-32.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48ANG 9.82
$7.92$7.92
-30.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.42ANG 6.13
$1.04$1.04
228.85%
White Bread(500g)
$2.73ANG 4.89
$3.56$3.56
-23.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.93ANG 5.24
$4.69$4.69
-37.53%
Eggs
$5.05ANG 9.04
$4.43$4.43
14.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.60ANG 36.88
$12.91$12.91
59.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.57ANG 26.09
$12.20$12.20
19.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.49ANG 29.51
$17.00$17.00
-3.00%
Apples(1kg)
$5.17ANG 9.25
$5.31$5.31
-2.64%
Banana(1kg)
$5.06ANG 9.06
$1.67$1.67
202.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$8.81ANG 15.78
$4.49$4.49
96.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.41ANG 13.26
$5.05$5.05
46.73%
Potato(1kg)
$4.24ANG 7.58
$2.83$2.83
49.82%
Onion(1kg)
$3.68ANG 6.59
$3.00$3.00
22.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.93ANG 7.03
$2.28$2.28
72.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.38ANG 2.47
$2.27$2.27
-39.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.13ANG 14.55
$10.33$10.33
-21.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.94ANG 19.59
$14.72$14.72
-25.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.91ANG 8.79
$2.05$2.05
139.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77ANG 3.17
$3.66$3.66
-51.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.06ANG 5.48
$2.33$2.33
31.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$1.52ANG 2.72
$65.1$65.1
-97.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$20.17ANG 36.10
$3.60$3.60
460.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.90$1.90
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$29.81$29.81
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30ANG 2.33
$1.03$1.03
26.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$35.1K$35.1K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.3K$26.3K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$389ANG 697
$216$216
80.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.88ANG 67.8
$62.3$62.3
-39.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.0ANG 134
$74.6$74.6
0.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.9ANG 118
$44.70$44.70
47.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.55$22.55
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.96ANG 16.04
$15.19$15.19
-41.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$584ANG 1,045
$1,440$1,440
-59.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.3KANG 22.0K
$25.2K$25.2K
-51.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1ANG 89.7
$53.7$53.7
-6.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.81ANG 71.3
$42.44$42.44
-6.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.4ANG 176
$93.4$93.4
5.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0ANG 107
$115$115
-47.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,327ANG 4,166
$1,622$1,622
43.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,257ANG 4,040
$1,357$1,357
66.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$6,552ANG 11.7K
$2,681$2,681
144.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$6,491ANG 11.6K
$2,170$2,170
199.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,294$3,294
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$12.0KANG 21.4K
$2,674$2,674
347.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sint Maarten
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,791ANG 3,207
$4,242$4,242
-57.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
6.55
-23.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sint Maarten: October 3, 2026
Last update for the United States: October 6, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sint Maarten
$2.3K 59.8%
United States
$1.4K 49.4% ↓ 39.9%$900
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sint Maarten
$508 13.5%
United States
$411 15% ↓ 19.2%$98
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sint Maarten
$502 13.3%
United States
$353 12.9% ↓ 29.7%$149
🍽Eating Out
Sint Maarten
$279 7.4%
United States
$327 11.9% ↑ 17.4%$48
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sint Maarten
$112 3%
United States
$137 5% ↑ 22.6%$25
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sint Maarten
$84 2.2%
United States
$75 2.7% ↓ 10.5%$8.8
🚌Getting Around
Sint Maarten
$34 * 0.9%
United States
$87 3.2% ↑ 158%$54
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sint Maarten
$6.5K 67.3%
United States
$2.2K 41.3% ↓ 66.6%$4.3K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sint Maarten
$1.2K 12.3%
United States
$942 17.9% ↓ 20.5%$244
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sint Maarten
$540 5.6%
United States
$415 7.9% ↓ 23.1%$125
🍽Eating Out
Sint Maarten
$933 9.7%
United States
$1.1K 20.3% ↑ 14.3%$133
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sint Maarten
$248 2.6%
United States
$304 5.8% ↑ 22.6%$56
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sint Maarten
$168 * 1.7%
United States
$173 3.3% ↑ 3%$5
🚌Getting Around
Sint Maarten
$74 * 0.8%
United States
$180 3.4% ↑ 143%$106
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $2,250 in Sint Maarten, $1,605 in the United States. Capital cities: $2,145 in Philipsburg vs $2,726 in Washington, DC.
💰National salary averages: $2,061 in Sint Maarten, $4,534 in the United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 40% higher in Sint Maarten.
⭐Dining out costs 12% more in the United States.
⭐Salaries are 120% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.
Sint Maarten→United States3,070 km≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
Sint Maarten
United States
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
Sint Maarten vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Sint Maarten and the United States?
At $3,885 per month in Sint Maarten and $2,784 in the United States, there's a 40% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $2,250 in Sint Maarten and $1,605 in the United States. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $4,000 a realistic budget in Sint Maarten or in the United States?
In the United States, $4,000 covers most cities easily; in Sint Maarten it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Sint Maarten or to the United States?
It depends on what you're after: the United States wins on affordability; Sint Maarten may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Sint Maarten vs other spots: cost of living compared