Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and St Thomas Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and St Thomas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in St John versus $4,287 in St Thomas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,732 in St John versus $7,186 in St Thomas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,368 in St John versus $10.1K in St Thomas.

Living in St John costs roughly 28% less than in St Thomas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St John 133% above, St Thomas 222% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 $17.26

$20.20 $20.20

-14.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$157 $157

3.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 $8.48

$11.86 $11.86

-28.50%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$7.15 $7.15

-8.67%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$4.08 $4.08

-24.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.35 $3.35

-40.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 $6.41

$6.63 $6.63

-3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$9.84 $9.84

-29.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.57 $2.57

7.39%

White Bread (500g)

$5.88 $5.88

$6.62 $6.62

-11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$18.57 $18.57

-92.08%

Eggs

$6.39 $6.39

$8.78 $8.78

-27.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$11.19 $11.19

60.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.97 $25.97

$31.79 $31.79

-18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.15 $40.15

Apples (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

Banana (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$10.90 $10.90

-54.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

Tomato (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$20.09 $20.09

-55.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$8.57 $8.57

-47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.10 $5.10

$7.94 $7.94

-35.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$6.02 $6.02

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 $25.27

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.12 $6.12

-2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 $6.11

$1.97 $1.97

210.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$59.6 $59.6

132.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.34 $20.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.08 $3.08

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.35 $1.35

21.48%

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

$55.0K $55.0K

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$37.9K $37.9K

-40.82%

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

$244 $244

$384 $384

-36.51%

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

$100 $100

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$130 $130

-53.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$127 $127

Cinema Ticket

$12.02 $12.02

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

$1,501 $1,501

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K $13.6K

$21.7K $21.7K

-37.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 $101

$117 $117

-13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 $58.8

$147 $147

-59.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.18 $49.18

$203 $203

-75.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.15 $49.15

$153 $153

-67.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$1,469 $1,469

50.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 $1,790

$1,788 $1,788

0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,214 $3,214

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 $2,965

$4,259 $4,259

-30.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$4,873 $4,873

161.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,033 $4,033

$2,736 $2,736

47.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

9.45

-25.40%

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

Last update for St John: July 28, 2026

Last update for St Thomas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,207 in St John and $1,469 in St Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $163 in St John vs $157 in St Thomas. Groceries flip the comparison at $417 vs $980, with St John cheaper for home cooking.

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 St Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John and St Thomas differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($3,096 vs $4,287 including rent). St John is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,207 in St John versus $1,469 in St Thomas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 135% higher in St Thomas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,096 per month in St John versus $4,287 in St Thomas – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. St John is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 St Thomas 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 38% less than in St Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.