Cost of Living Comparison Between St Thomas and Cruz Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between St Thomas and Cruz Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,364 in St Thomas versus $2,821 in Cruz Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,069 in St Thomas versus $4,575 in Cruz Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,773 in St Thomas versus $6,330 in Cruz Bay.

Living in St Thomas is roughly 55% more expensive than in Cruz Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St Thomas 227% above, Cruz Bay 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 $20.24

$30.58 $30.58

-33.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$161 $161

$91.9 $91.9

75.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$17.06 $17.06

-29.02%

Cappuccino

$6.84 $6.84

$9.25 $9.25

-26.05%

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

$4.07 $4.07

$3.09 $3.09

31.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.95 $3.95

-12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 $6.65

$8.03 $8.03

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$9.05 $9.05

8.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.47 $3.47

-27.09%

White Bread (500g)

$6.58 $6.58

Rice (white) (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

Eggs

$8.88 $8.88

$5.11 $5.11

73.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.84 $31.84

$15.30 $15.30

108.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.10 $39.10

Apples (1kg)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.58 $8.58

40.33%

Banana (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

Oranges (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

Tomato (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

Onion (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

Lettuce (1 head)

$8.12 $8.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$24.85 $24.85

$24.65 $24.65

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.32 $20.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 $3.19

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

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

$55.5K $55.5K

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

$38.1K $38.1K

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

$394 $394

$356 $356

10.67%

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

$100 $100

$139 $139

-28.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$132 $132

$60.5 $60.5

117.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$126 $126

$90.2 $90.2

39.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

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

$1,507 $1,507

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K $21.7K

$13.1K $13.1K

65.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 $117

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$148 $148

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$198 $198

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 $1,443

$1,823 $1,823

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 $1,796

$1,525 $1,525

17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,200 $3,200

$3,505 $3,505

-8.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,188 $4,188

$3,473 $3,473

20.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,841 $4,841

$10.9K $10.9K

-55.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,801 $2,801

$6,279 $6,279

-55.38%

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 St Thomas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cruz Bay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,443 in St Thomas and $1,823 in Cruz Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cruz Bay pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $161 in St Thomas vs $92.0 in Cruz Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $980 vs $224 per month, with Cruz Bay 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

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

St Thomas and Cruz Bay differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($4,364 vs $2,821 including rent). Cruz Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 124% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,443 in St Thomas versus $1,823 in Cruz Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cruz Bay – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $161 in St Thomas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,364 per month in St Thomas versus $2,821 in Cruz Bay – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Cruz Bay 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 Thomas 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 Cruz Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in St Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.