Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and the British Virgin Islands

Name: British Virgin Islands
Address: VG

For one person, living is cheaper in the United States: $2,734 a month against $2,897 in the British Virgin Islands, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in the British Virgin Islands
Learn more

British Virgin Islands Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

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🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands

$2,897

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in the British Virgin Islands

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in the British Virgin Islands actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,734 per month in the United States vs $2,897 in the British Virgin Islands, rent included.

United States $2,734
British Virgin Islands $2,897

A couple spends around $3,985 per month in the United States vs $4,880 in the British Virgin Islands, rent included.

United States $3,985
British Virgin Islands $4,880

A family of three spends $5,235 per month in the United States vs $6,863 in the British Virgin Islands, rent included.

United States $5,235
British Virgin Islands $6,863

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in the British Virgin Islands ($2,425–$2,572), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in the United States is roughly 6% lower than in the British Virgin Islands on average.

Both the United States and the British Virgin Islands are pricier than the global median – the United States by 101%, the British Virgin Islands by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$19.66 $19.66

1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$80.8 $80.8

-0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$11.65 $11.65

1.29%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$6.74 $6.74

-17.66%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.80 $1.80

47.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.96 $0.96

126.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$4.05 $4.05

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$4.96 $4.96

60.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.22 $2.22

-53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$4.46 $4.46

-19.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.36 $4.36

3.67%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$6.18 $6.18

-30.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$13.01 $13.01

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$12.91 $12.91

-2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$20.03 $20.03

-12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.09 $3.09

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.44 $3.44

-50.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.96 $1.96

126.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$7.03 $7.03

-32.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$6.00 $6.00

-50.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.58 $4.58

-31.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$8.90 $8.90

-75.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.91 $1.91

23.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$5.12 $5.12

114.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.04 $11.04

36.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.91 $3.91

-47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$4.55 $4.55

-57.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.23 $1.23

-17.07%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

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

$26.2K $26.2K

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

$218 $218

$161 $161

35.51%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$93.3 $93.3

-33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$115 $115

-35.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$120 $120

-65.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$19.92 $19.92

14.51%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$9.81 $9.81

49.85%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$369 $369

303.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$15.4K $15.4K

63.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.53 $47.53

14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$55.9 $55.9

-23.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$131 $131

-28.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$138 $138

-17.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$1,364 $1,364

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$1,409 $1,409

-4.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$3,787 $3,787

-29.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$3,538 $3,538

-38.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$10.8K $10.8K

-76.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$1,639 $1,639

162.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for the British Virgin Islands: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

British Virgin Islands

$1.4K 48.7% 4.6% $62

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

British Virgin Islands

$479 * 16.5% 15.3% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

British Virgin Islands

$369 12.7% 3.9% $14

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

British Virgin Islands

$314 10.9% 4.2% $14

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

British Virgin Islands

$168 5.8% 22.2% $30

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

British Virgin Islands

$18 * 0.6% 77.3% $62

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

British Virgin Islands

$140 4.8% 96.4% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,620 in the United States vs $1,345 in the British Virgin Islands. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,768 in Washington, DC and $1,640 in Road Town.

Average salary: $4,549 in the United States vs $1,625 in the British Virgin Islands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 20% higher in the United States.

Salaries are about 2.8 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands

🕒 Local time

20:14 8:14 PM

Same time as the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

39,369

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

United States British Virgin Islands 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

United States
British Virgin Islands

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

United States vs British Virgin Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

The United States is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 6% lower on average.

Not necessarily. Overall, the British Virgin Islands costs about 6% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in the British Virgin Islands. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.

The United States is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.