Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Saint John Island

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $322 a month against $6,072 in Saint John Island, rent and utilities included – about $69,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

St John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint John Island, U.S. Virgin Islands
St John
🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands
$322
/mo nomad
Saint John Island
🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands
$6,072
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St John and in Saint John Island

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 Saint John Island actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $322 in St John versus $6,072 in Saint John Island.

  • St John $322
  • Saint John Island $6,072

Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in St John versus $8,298 in Saint John Island.

  • St John $927
  • Saint John Island $8,298

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,531 in St John versus $10.5K in Saint John Island.

  • St John $1,531
  • Saint John Island $10.5K

Living in St John costs roughly 95% less than in Saint John Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: St John is 76% below, Saint John Island is 346% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.06 $20.06
$68.8 $68.8
-70.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$174 $174
$148 $148
18.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$14.73 $14.73
-
Cappuccino
$7.14 $7.14
$8.88 $8.88
-19.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$3.43 $3.43
-14.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$3.57 $3.57
-45.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$5.13 $5.13
56.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.09 $8.09
$6.90 $6.90
17.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$3.09 $3.09
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$7.89 $7.89
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$12.03 $12.03
-
Eggs
-
$12.16 $12.16
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$31.60 $31.60
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$32.57 $32.57
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$23.59 $23.59
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$21.89 $21.89
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$4.07 $4.07
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$17.71 $17.71
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$12.22 $12.22
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$7.87 $7.87
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$7.80 $7.80
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$5.07 $5.07
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.54 $3.54
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$9.11 $9.11
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$23.35 $23.35
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$4.38 $4.38
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.87 $5.87
-
🚌 Getting Around
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$6.90 $6.90
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$148 $148
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$30.28 $30.28
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$49.64 $49.64
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.55 $1.55
4.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$46.6K $46.6K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$53.9K $53.9K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$304 $304
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$101 $101
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$103 $103
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K $13.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$79.2 $79.2
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$49.86 $49.86
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$86.0 $86.0
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$102 $102
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,997 $3,997
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,465 $3,465
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,068 $5,068
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$4,501 $4,501
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.8K $12.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
St John
Saint John Island
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,075 $5,075
$4,513 $4,513
12.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.05
7
0.71%

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

Last update for St John: October 24, 2026

Last update for Saint John Island: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
St John
–
Saint John Island
$3.5K
Groceries & Markets
St John
–
Saint John Island
$983
Eating Out
St John
–
Saint John Island
$768
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St John
–
Saint John Island
$508
Getting Around
St John
–
Saint John Island
$206 *
Clothing & Footwear
St John
–
Saint John Island
$143

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

St John pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $174 in St John vs $148 in Saint John Island for two.

Good to know
🇻🇮 St John
🇻🇮 Saint John Island
🕒 Local time
22:36 10:36 PM
22:36 10:36 PM
Same time as St John
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,743
4,170
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • St John Saint John Island 2 km
From you
  • St John
  • Saint John Island

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 Saint John Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, St John or Saint John Island?
St John wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Saint John Island. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making St John the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in St John or in Saint John Island?
Average pay runs 12% higher in St John, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do dining costs compare in St John and in Saint John Island?
Dining out is cheaper in Saint John Island – a meal for two runs $148 versus $174 in St John. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in St John compared to Saint John Island?
All in, you’ll spend $322 per month in St John versus $6,072 in Saint John Island – St John is about 95% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,200/month in St John or in Saint John Island?
At $322 in St John versus $6,072 in Saint John Island, a $1,200 budget is realistic in St John but tight or insufficient in Saint John Island. The gap between the two cities makes St John the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How safe is St John compared to Saint John Island?
Safety-wise, St John and Saint John Island are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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