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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,337 in St Thomas versus $3,167 in St John.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,106 in St Thomas versus $4,754 in St John.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,874 in St Thomas versus $6,340 in St John.

Living in St Thomas is roughly 37% more expensive than St John, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St Thomas 224% above, St John 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$17.84 $17.84

12.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$159 $159

$165 $165

-4.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$8.27 $8.27

42.68%

Cappuccino

$7.16 $7.16

$6.45 $6.45

11.01%

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

$4.02 $4.02

$3.01 $3.01

33.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.06 $2.06

64.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.62 $6.62

$6.42 $6.42

3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.82 $9.82

$6.82 $6.82

43.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.87 $2.87

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$6.71 $6.71

$5.60 $5.60

19.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$1.45 $1.45

1177.24%

Eggs

$8.76 $8.76

$6.49 $6.49

34.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$17.38 $17.38

-34.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.42 $32.42

$26.86 $26.86

20.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.30 $40.30

Apples (1kg)

$11.90 $11.90

Banana (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$5.10 $5.10

116.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$12.25 $12.25

Tomato (1kg)

$19.63 $19.63

$8.57 $8.57

129.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

Onion (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$4.30 $4.30

104.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$7.93 $7.93

$4.94 $4.94

60.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$5.92 $5.92

Wine (Bottle)

$25.03 $25.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$5.84 $5.84

-65.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

$139 $139

-56.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.88 $19.88

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.02 $3.02

1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.62 $1.62

-17.90%

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)

$38.2K $38.2K

$22.4K $22.4K

70.55%

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

$392 $392

$244 $244

60.88%

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

$99.3 $99.3

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 $129

$59.0 $59.0

117.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

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

$1,497 $1,497

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

$13.7K $13.7K

60.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 $115

$98.0 $98.0

17.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$151 $151

$60.4 $60.4

150.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$204 $204

$49.14 $49.14

314.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$50.6 $50.6

196.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 $1,443

$2,219 $2,219

-34.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$1,831 $1,831

-2.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,252 $3,252

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,334 $4,334

$2,951 $2,951

46.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,872 $4,872

$13.2K $13.2K

-62.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,806 $2,806

$4,059 $4,059

-30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

7.05

34.04%

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

Last update for St Thomas: May 31, 2026

Last update for St John: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,443 in St Thomas and $2,219 in St John. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $159 in St Thomas vs $165 in St John. Groceries flip the comparison at $979 vs $416, 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 Thomas vs St John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St Thomas and St John differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($4,337 vs $3,167 including rent). St John is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, St John earns 45% 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: $1,443 in St Thomas versus $2,219 in St John. 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 $4,337 per month in St Thomas versus $3,167 in St John – a 37% 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 Thomas and St John 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 37% less than in St Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.