Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Cruz Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $320 a month against $2,889 in Cruz Bay, rent and utilities included – about $30,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jump to prices

St John

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$320

/mo nomad

Cruz Bay

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$2,889

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $320 in St John versus $2,889 in Cruz Bay.

St John $320
Cruz Bay $2,889

Estimated couple costs with rent: $926 in St John versus $4,680 in Cruz Bay.

St John $926
Cruz Bay $4,680

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,533 in St John versus $6,471 in Cruz Bay.

St John $1,533
Cruz Bay $6,471

Living in St John costs roughly 89% less than in Cruz Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: St John is 76% below, Cruz Bay is 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$30.27 $30.27

-34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$176 $176

$91.8 $91.8

91.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.12 $17.12

Cappuccino

$7.03 $7.03

$8.84 $8.84

-20.48%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.91 $2.91

5.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.98 $3.98

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$8.19 $8.19

0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.95 $8.95

-11.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$7.80 $7.80

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.56 $15.56

Apples (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

Wine (Bottle)

$24.92 $24.92

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

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

$354 $354

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

$140 $140

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 $60.3

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 $89.3

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K $13.5K

$13.2K $13.2K

2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,521 $3,521

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$10.9K $10.9K

16.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,157 $5,157

$6,318 $6,318

-18.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

41.00%

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

Last update for St John: October 18, 2026

Last update for Cruz Bay: October 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cruz Bay pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $176 in St John vs $92.0 in Cruz Bay for two.

Good to know

🇻🇮 St John

🇻🇮 Cruz Bay

🕒 Local time

10:24 10:24 AM

Same time as St John

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,743

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

St John Cruz Bay 4 km

From you

St John
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

St John vs Cruz Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John and Cruz Bay differ by about 803% in total monthly costs ($320 vs $2,889 including rent). St John is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Cruz Bay. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in St John – a meal for two runs $176 versus $92.0 in Cruz Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $320 per month in St John versus $2,889 in Cruz Bay – a 803% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $320 in St John versus $2,889 in Cruz Bay, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St John but tight or insufficient in Cruz Bay. The gap between the two cities makes St John 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.

Safety-wise, St John and Cruz Bay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find St John gentler on the wallet – expenses run 803% less than in Cruz Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.