jobs and housing

Average non professional job is $6.00 to $10.oo per hour. Tipped jobs do well in the winter months but really slow in the summer months. Most jobs will work you 30 hours per week, less in summer. Most jobs are reluctant to hire those new on the island because they tend to leave rather abruptly. Average apartment look at $1,500 to be in a nice environment. Electric is about 30 percent higher than in the states. DONT seek out cheap housing here, theres a reason its cheap, Food: My average grocery bill for two folks who cook at home rather simply. $170.00 per week. Less if you are a vegetarian. Lots of folks here are. There is no public assistance for those not born here. Public housing assistance is extremly scarace and has a two to three year waiting period. No public assistance if you get ill. The government has insurance for those island residents who work for the government, all others pay cash upfront. For instance, its only april and the VI governments funding for workmans compensation payments ran out. Lots of people without income from that.

Its a wonderful place to live if you have the money to enjoy it. Can be horrible for those wanting to live on the cheap....

I'd encourage anyone considering moving here, especially this time of year to bring at least $10,000 cash to get them by until they are established. This should last you two months or so.

$10,000 for TWO MONTHS!!!!!!!! $170 a week in Food? Really?

Angel, you have to do some research on these topics on this board -please use the search feature at the top of the page and type in the words that you need info about, and you will surely get more than your head can wrap around very quickly. But your average apt. can run $1000-1500 without utilities, and they will ask for first, last and security deposit many times - well, there's $4500. Throw in some utilities, deposits and food and you can plow through it WAY too easily. I'm on STX and some things are cheaper here, but we don't have a tremendous amount of variety such as Home Depot, etc., to choose from. Yet. It's Kmart all the way as far as discount stores, and I about choked on some of the Kmart prices.

There are nice rentals coming available that are less expensive as season ends, but you have to be the early bird...and virtually no one is going to rent to you until you are here, and pets can be a problem since the large breeds are not allowed in condos.

I WISH I could get by on $170/wk in groceries...but I'm cooking for 3 adults, two of whom eat like horses (men, what can I say?) We moved last weekend - I ran to the grocery store to get us enough to just tide us over through the weekend - $202 and some change. I'll be going again soon.

The up side is - you get over sticker shock after a while....the down side is that my retirement is temporarily suspended. Up side is the beach. Down side is I can see it from my home office and can't get there as often as I would like. Ups and downs...well, that's life in the islands!

there are two ways to live, expensive, and living cheaply. Learn to love pasta, don't go out to eat, and you can find a nice stuido downtown for $500 to be within walking distance to work. Although it won't be safe but it seems you are just looking for something cheap to get by until you get more established.

I know $10,000 sounds like a lot, hell, it is a lot. But consider:

Housing - even if you find something in the $800 - $1,000 range that you like, most landlords will want first, last, and one month's security. That's $3,000.

Transportation - Whether you buy here or ship from the states, you're looking at $2,000. Insurance? Another $500 or so.

Utility deposits - WAPA, phone, cable. figure another $200-$300.

I figure that's about $6,000, right? Of course, even if you rent furnished, you'll need a few things from K-mart. And you'll need to stock your pantry, buy a broom, etc.

I hope you can see where we're coming from. $10,000 gets you settled and gives you a month or two breathing room to find a job.

Don't leave home without it.

Eric: This statement:

" i really dont need much to be happy just some sun and some good reggae music "

...is one of the red flags for living here. Please make sure you read through the moving stories and some of the posts by recent arrivals. This isn't just a reggae spot in the sun. In fact, reggae is a Jamaican form of music. Do you like quelbe music?

To answer your last question: yes, you can live in St Thomas without a car, but it will increase the degree of difficulty.

thanks East ender that one made me laugh. I love the jamaican reggae but there is a ton of talented artists coming out of the VI right now. why is it a red flag to want to live in a naturlly beautiful enviornment? I'm not to familiar with quelbe music but now that you mention It I will look into it. Thanks

Eric: When people say or imply,"I don't need much, I'm going to be living in Paradise" I always think that there may be a problem with expectations. Life here is not easy.

If you have a well paying job and safe clean housing life here is really nice. If you dont there can be a LOT of discontent. This is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. Those lookig for a inexpensive lifestyle and non professioal job will be serving those who came came here prepared and not enjoying the lifestyle ad enviromet they were seeking. Hard to sit by the beach ad soak up the sun when your working 12 hours a day just to make ends meet.

Reality can be very sobering.

Myself, I love it here. I have a nice place to live, I work as a traveling nurse, I have a nice island car, le.and I can afford to buy groceries. The people are nice, polite and its a gentle lifestyle for me. I know other that life is pure torture and not what they bargained for.

For instance right now my husband and I are sitting down to dinner. Steak from Food Center 12.99 a pound.. came to just under thirty dollars to split one steak. mashed potatoes for two comes to around $2.00 and veggies 1.65. Milk is around 2.95 a half gallon. Water is $1.00 a gallon. I cook with bottled water because the cistern water may contain some unhealthy surprises. Our dinner homecooked comes to about $20.00 each. A bag or oreos $4.99 for late nite tv.

But please understand, I am overlooking the sunset over the Caribbean. I am listtening to the waves crash on the shore and the hummingbirds are entertaining us on the balconey. Priceless

After reading what it costs just to move and get setteled has burst my bubble. My only income is Social Security Disability and it's less than $1000. per month. I've been to Jamaica and don't like it there. My sister went to St. Thomas and loved it. How hard would it be to find a room mate already established there?

This board has such a wealth of information. I really appreciate everyone who contributes.

I am moving to STT in the next month or two. I too had sticker shock when I first visited nearly 2 decades ago. I vividly remember craving something chocolate and found a small box of Oreos-- $4. That was for one of those short boxes containing maybe 10 cookies. I had a whopping $110 cash for food and entertainment that had to last 2 weeks. I knew it would be a long time before I could afford to live there.

That was my first real vacation ANYWHERE-- me and 3 wealthier friends on a 2 week bareboat charter. Having grown up in a small town, I would have been impressed with virtually any city or "exotic" location. To see the stunning beauty of the Virgin Islands was overwhelming. I imprinted on it like a duckling. I never wanted to leave, but reality dictated that I had to. I've spent a long time working hard so that I could live there.

Now, a mere 19 years later, it's going to happen.

Guess this post is really tangential to the starting topic, but it's early morning and I was feeling sentimental and felt like sharing 🙂

On a positive note regarding cost of living, over the years I've observed that the cost of groceries has not escalated as much as I would have expected. Meanwhile, the cost of groceries in my hometown has gone up quite a bit, getting close to the cost of things on STT. Certain items are disproportionately high on STT (milk comes to mind) yet others are much much lower on STT (found a fantastic deal on dried porcini mushrooms).

It is my sincere belief that, coming from the continent, with no local support system, you cannot live in the Virgin Islands on $1,000 a month income.

Better to know the reality.