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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,294 in St Thomas versus $5,712 in Saint John Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,041 in St Thomas versus $7,858 in Saint John Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,789 in St Thomas versus $10.0K in Saint John Island.

Living in St Thomas costs roughly 25% less than in Saint John Island, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St Thomas 220% above, Saint John Island 325% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.16 $20.16

$30.90 $30.90

-34.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$161 $161

$152 $152

5.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$14.82 $14.82

-20.18%

Cappuccino

$7.15 $7.15

$8.76 $8.76

-18.38%

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

$4.06 $4.06

$3.52 $3.52

15.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.44 $3.44

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.37 $6.37

$4.85 $4.85

31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.03 $7.03

43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.11 $3.11

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$6.68 $6.68

$8.16 $8.16

-18.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$11.84 $11.84

57.85%

Eggs

$8.64 $8.64

$12.07 $12.07

-28.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 $11.50

$32.26 $32.26

-64.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.98 $31.98

$32.78 $32.78

-2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.71 $39.71

$24.15 $24.15

64.43%

Apples (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$21.62 $21.62

-44.54%

Banana (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$3.92 $3.92

180.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$12.30 $12.30

$17.68 $17.68

-30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$12.03 $12.03

62.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$7.88 $7.88

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$8.60 $8.60

$7.90 $7.90

8.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$7.94 $7.94

$5.05 $5.05

57.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.58 $3.58

63.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.24 $9.24

Wine (Bottle)

$24.63 $24.63

$23.21 $23.21

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$5.84 $5.84

4.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$6.95 $6.95

-71.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 $60.5

$153 $153

-60.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 $19.99

$29.99 $29.99

-33.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 $3.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.55 $1.55

-16.77%

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

$54.6K $54.6K

$47.2K $47.2K

15.63%

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

$38.0K $38.0K

$54.0K $54.0K

-29.74%

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

$394 $394

$302 $302

30.46%

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

$98.1 $98.1

$101 $101

-3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$132 $132

$101 $101

30.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 $11.81

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

$1,508 $1,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 $113

$79.1 $79.1

43.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$149 $149

$50.0 $50.0

196.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$203 $203

$86.4 $86.4

135.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$98.9 $98.9

52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 $1,467

$3,963 $3,963

-62.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$3,433 $3,433

-47.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,218 $3,218

$5,050 $5,050

-36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,299 $4,299

$4,520 $4,520

-4.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,885 $4,885

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,763 $2,763

$4,551 $4,551

-39.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

35.00%

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

Last update for St Thomas: June 8, 2026

Last update for Saint John Island: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,467 in St Thomas and $3,963 in Saint John Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 65% 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: $161 in St Thomas vs $152 in Saint John Island. Groceries flip the comparison at $973 vs $987, with St Thomas 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 Thomas vs Saint John Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St Thomas wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Saint John Island. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making St Thomas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Saint John Island earns 65% less. 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: $1,467 in St Thomas versus $3,963 in Saint John Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Saint John Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,294 per month in St Thomas versus $5,712 in Saint John Island – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $5,000. St Thomas 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 Saint John Island 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 Thomas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.