Family of five

Montly Living expenses $500 electricity, $250 per person food (if you don't eat out) $1250 rent furnished, $150 gas.

There's no "one size fits all" answer to OP's question. Everyone's style of living is different. The best way for someone to determine how much their "living expenses" in the Caribbean might be is to calculate what their current monthly budget is "back home" and then add 30% to 35% to that number. The result will be fairly close to how much they will need to maintain the same lifestyle level in the Caribbean.

For example, if you currently spend around $3,000/month on rent, food, utilities, activities, etc. you can expect to spend somewhere between $3,900 and $4,050 for those same expenses. If you alter your lifestyle you can spend less or more depending on what what adjustments you make.

Montly Living expenses $500 electricity, $250 per person food (if you don't eat out) $1250 rent furnished, $150 gas.

Where can you get a house that is furnished in a safe area for $1250 per month?

Are you referring to gasoline or propane for cooking with that $150 estimate?

You can certainly conserve on the electricity and do better than $500 per month.

Contact a STX Realtor to inquire re: rentals.They know the island, neighborhoods and what would be available in your price range.
Don't waste their time tho if not making a move soon as what's listed for rent now may not be available in a couple months time.
I would imagine that the budget you set for yourself would be what you adhere to.
I see furnished rentals(3X2) in STX frequently on MLS between $1500- $2400 for rent.(STT & STJ more expensive)
It would depend on how upscale you wish everything to be as well as the location with proximity to your work, school for kids, etc.

Also it depends where your from in the states. If your from DC or NYC metro areas your already use to the high prices here. Also if you are from the Southwest where you either have to run your AC or die then its easy to save a lot of electricity here. Just in case you dont know Shud, electricity per Kwh here is like four times as much as in the states. So I would strongly advise that not only turn things off but you actually unplug them. Also speaking of electricity you need surge protectors on all your electronics that you dont want to have to rebuy. The fluctuations can be so bad here that they can actually destroy your surge protector but better to destroy your surge protector that destroy your $3K TV.

But Candidly tho, you and your family need to do a Pre-move Visit (PMV). I never had to raise kids on the island, but I have had grandkids on the island for extended visit, really small town atmosphere, and great neighbors, but know zilch about the schools.

I do however, wonder if a move here for a 12 month job is really worth it. I think you have to legitimately love the islands to live here.

Montly Living expenses $500 electricity, $250 per person food (if you don't eat out) $1250 rent furnished, $150 gas.

Where can you get a house that is furnished in a safe area for $1250 per month?

Are you referring to gasoline or propane for cooking with that $150 estimate?

You can certainly conserve on the electricity and do better than $500 per month.

Sure, I can do better, but they didn't ask me what I pay... 🙂

Where is your input? Or do you just want to question my contribution?

OP...just a quick question. Will you be working at the oil refinery???

ONLY HERE FOR 1 YEAR? that is interesting.
depends on where you live , what you do, what you eat.......
being more specific with questions will generate better answers.

you can find a rental in a safe area. NO PROBLEM.

also there are a few threads recently that go over the cost of living here. do a search and you will find plenty

OP...just a quick question. Will you be working at the oil refinery???

Good Question

One of your children is school age - what are your plans for him/her? Another thing to think about is the need for your own vehicle - a "must" here.

I hear that the private schools are about $10 per year per child. From what I also hear you do not want you child in public schools.
If you are from the Southwest as someone mentioned, your electricty bill may be higher not lower as you will be used to lower hunidity and may want to run your A/C more. Unless you live by the sea where you get more breezes. That is an important thing to look for in renting a home, BREEZES! If you are in an area that gets breezes or your house does not face the correct way you will not get the breezes then you will have the A/C on a lot more.

$10/year for private schools is just a tad on the low side! There have been many discussions on this board about the public school system but there are several teachers, former students and parents who contribute to this forum who disagree with the negative perception some "hear" about them. It's something you have to check out for yourself.

Obviously if you don't want to look forward to spending an arm and a leg on A/C, physical location very much comes into play but living by the sea isn't necessarily the better choice. I've lived all over St Thomas and the coolest places I've ever lived have been not by the sea (very hot in comparison) but up high where cooling breezes are present pretty much year-round.

PS: There's a thread running right now on the public school system and StJohnJulie's contribution is a "must read"!

IT, I'm pretty sure he meant $10,000. Lol.

as Afriend suggested, Add 30% to your current cost of living. This is good advice.
It could be a good experience. I originally came for a 6 month contract job and that was three years ago.

Actually, Good Hope Country Day is more like $14,000 a year.

I hear that the private schools are about $10 per year per child. From what I also hear you do not want you child in public schools.
If you are from the Southwest as someone mentioned, your electricty bill may be higher not lower as you will be used to lower hunidity and may want to run your A/C more. Unless you live by the sea where you get more breezes. That is an important thing to look for in renting a home, BREEZES! If you are in an area that gets breezes or your house does not face the correct way you will not get the breezes then you will have the A/C on a lot more.

Your electric bill, regardless of where you are coming from, will be double or triple what it is today (without A/C).

It's close to $.56 per KWH here on STX. The majority of the locals in the States pay $.08-.09 per KWH. Gosh, that's nearly 6 times as much here!

Geez I wonder what the rate of inflation is on this forum at this rate electricity will be $1 per Kwh next week 😀

Oh yeah, you are going to get burnt by your first elec bill, but it will be a fast education.

Being a recent transplant from the SW, where people die from trying to turn off their AC, I had no trouble using one fourth the electricity I used back in the states. Because at least you can cut your A/c off here and not die.

Last month in the states 13c per kwh. Here 48c "fuel factor" plus base charges etc and I do understand the fuel factor jumps around a lot.

I hear that the private schools are about $10 per year per child. From what I also hear you do not want you child in public schools.
If you are from the Southwest as someone mentioned, your electricty bill may be higher not lower as you will be used to lower hunidity and may want to run your A/C more. Unless you live by the sea where you get more breezes. That is an important thing to look for in renting a home, BREEZES! If you are in an area that gets breezes or your house does not face the correct way you will not get the breezes then you will have the A/C on a lot more.

Your electric bill, regardless of where you are coming from, will be double or triple what it is today (without A/C).

It's close to $.56 per KWH here on STX. The majority of the locals in the States pay $.08-.09 per KWH. Gosh, that's nearly 6 times as much here!

You can not assume this. My bill is 1/4 of what it was in the states. I lived in Arizona so $450 bill were regular. Mine here has never been over $150. Just saying.

A lot of people make the electricity out to be this huge deal. Its not unless your a business. If you have a $500 bill thats by CHOICE. You choose to have AC or a pool or whatever. It is very possible to live reasonably here IMO. My total bills for the month are almost exactly to the dollar what they were in the states. Some stuff is more some less. Its all about not living beyond your means - here that will catch up and bite you in the ass real quick!

Best advice, have a LARGE "get out" fund. This should include round trip for each family member including pets.

our bills are about 200. no air, no dishwasher, no dryer. we have three ceiling fans always on, and other normal electronics

I hear that the private schools are about $10 per year per child. From what I also hear you do not want you child in public schools.
If you are from the Southwest as someone mentioned, your electricty bill may be higher not lower as you will be used to lower hunidity and may want to run your A/C more. Unless you live by the sea where you get more breezes. That is an important thing to look for in renting a home, BREEZES! If you are in an area that gets breezes or your house does not face the correct way you will not get the breezes then you will have the A/C on a lot more.

Your electric bill, regardless of where you are coming from, will be double or triple what it is today (without A/C).

It's close to $.56 per KWH here on STX. The majority of the locals in the States pay $.08-.09 per KWH. Gosh, that's nearly 6 times as much here!

You can not assume this. My bill is 1/4 of what it was in the states. I lived in Arizona so $450 bill were regular. Mine here has never been over $150. Just saying.

A lot of people make the electricity out to be this huge deal. Its not unless your a business. If you have a $500 bill thats by CHOICE. You choose to have AC or a pool or whatever. It is very possible to live reasonably here IMO. My total bills for the month are almost exactly to the dollar what they were in the states. Some stuff is more some less. Its all about not living beyond your means - here that will catch up and bite you in the ass real quick!

Best advice, have a LARGE "get out" fund. This should include round trip for each family member including pets.

The point is that if anyone who is generally accustomed to paying between .08KWH - .13KWH in the States, they are not going to drastically alter their consumption because they moved to the USVI. Hence, their bills are going to be 5-6 times more using $.525744 per KWH plus $4.86 customer service charge. It is not an assumption, it is the fact.

No the point is you dont need as much electricity as you need in parts of the states especially the SW. Yes, the VI is hot,,but its not near as hot as the dessert parts of the US, where you simply CAN NOT turn off the AC because you will die, or if you are gone your pets will die. There is no categorically correct answer. I used 75%less elec here than I did there and I really wasnt trying that hard.

I would say it would depend on your salary here vs. the expedituresand any savings you hope to realize plus the ease of the move from your present situation.

If it's only for a year and you don't have to divest yourself of property, furnishings and can return with relative ease to your life back in the states, should "island life" not be suitable for you or the job not be satisfactory after 1 yr., then go for it. Kids, of course make things a bit more complicated and you'll need to figure out schooling and having 2 cars will make life easier for your wife and yourself unless you live and work in very close proximity.

Just come down with 40K. You'll be fine. Its awesome here.
20K with no kids.