Is St. Thomas expensive? [2023] Complete Budget Breakdown!

Is St. Thomas expensive? Unless you are staying at a 5-star world-class resort such as The Ritz-Carlton, then yes, it can be. You’ll experience the luxurious rooms and enjoy being around the area.

But what if you’re on a budget? That’s why you’re reading this guide. You’ll get all the deets on how much things cost in St. Thomas so that you can plan accordingly.

You’ll also get some money-saving tips at the end of this guide so that you can enjoy St. Thomas without breaking the bank. The good news is, that St. Thomas’s official currency is the US dollar, so you don’t have to worry about currency. Now that we got that out of the way, let’s dig in to see the costs of a St. Thomas vacation!

Is St. Thomas expensive? Complete Budget Breakdown (2023)

Table of Contents

Is St. Thomas expensive? How much does a vacation to St. Thomas cost?

Yes, St. Thomas is considered as an expensive travel destination. In fact, US virgin islands are among the most expensive Caribbean vacation destinations. Even, the popular Caribbean tourist destinations like Jamaica, punta cana, and St. Lucia are relatively cheaper than St Thomas.

A single person should budget at least $275-325 per day while vacationing in St. Thomas. On average, a 7-day trip to St. Thomas would cost $2107 for a solo traveler, $4490 for a couple, and $7700 for a family of four.

This includes food, accommodations, flights, and activities that a person may want to do. Prices vary depending on the food, activities, and where you may stay.

Average Cost of a one week trip to St. Thomas

Number of Travelers	Average Trip	Budget Trip	Luxury Trip
Solo Traveler	$2107	$1350	$7700
Couple	$4490	$2360	$11800
Family (4 people)	$7700	$5500	$15700

As you can see clearly in above table, St. Thomas is not a cheap travel destination. Especially, if you are on a honeymoon or on a family vacation, it would be difficult to travel St. Thomas on budget.

However, good news is that if you are a solo traveler or backpacker and you are ready make a lot of money-saving adjustments to your trip then it is possible to travel St. Thomas on budget.

Also, another important thing to keep in mind is that even thought St. Thomas is pricey destination, it is still one of the most beautiful and romantic beach destinations in the Caribbean. It is renowned for its pristine white sand beaches, magnificent views, world class diving sites, and scenic hiking trails.

So, if you are looking for a Caribbean beach destination that offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, or that offers the perfect romantic setting for honeymooners, or that offers ideal family friendly beaches like Coki point beach for family vacationers, then believe me, St. Thomas is one of the best options for you.

In short, even though St. Thomas is an expensive island, you can still significantly reduce your cost of trip to this lovely paradise island if you are ready to be flexible, make some adjustments to your trip, and keep an eye out for our money-saving tips below.

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How much is the food in St. Thomas?

Generally, most of the Food items are imported in St. Thomas. So, it is no surprise that food is expensive here. However, food in St. Thomas can be affordable if you know where to look for it. On average, a single person can spend $47 a day on food.

The average cost of food in St. Thomas

Food	Average Cost
Meal, inexpensive restaurant (for one person)	$19
Meal, Mid-range restaurant (for one person)	$55
Cappuccino	$4
Domestic Bear	$6

However, you will have to do some research before your trip to plan out your meals. Here are a couple of places that offer some cheap eats:

Beuchert’s Beer Garden

If you want cheap food and drinks, this is the place to be. This is in Charlotte Amalie. From $6 empanadas to 2 for $5 beers, you could literally spend the day here eating and drinking for cheap!

Doghouse Pub

This is where you come if you want the comfort food you’re used to at home. Also in Charlotte Amalie, it features $5 burgers and nachos!

Cravin’ Crabs

You came to the Caribbean for some fresh seafood right? In the same town as the first two places, it features a $20 half lobster and you can even get a seafood combo to share with your friends and family.

PRIME At Paradise Point

We included an upscale restaurant just in case you want to splurge. With impeccable waterfront views and fresh daily caught seafood, you should at least try this place once.

In other words, there is no doubt that St. Thomas has a plethora of delicious restaurants that have every cuisine that you can think of. From low-budget to high-end, there is something for everyone on this island.

The cost of activities in St. Thomas

There is so much to do in St. Thomas. Of course, it widely depends on your budget. Whether you’d want to go snorkeling or catch some live entertainment, here are some costs for activities in St. Thomas.

Snorkel tours in St. Thomas- $140 (6 hours long, includes snorkel gear, food, and drinks)
Learn about Pirate History- $16 per adult, $12 per child, 6 years and under is free. (A must-visit if you’re a Pirates of the Caribbean fan!)
Zipline Tour– $140 (This is the only zipline tour on the entire island of St. Thomas)

These are just some things that you can do on St. Thomas. If you have room in your budget, you can do a lot of things. However, if you have a limited budget, don’t worry, we’ll give you ideas on what to do for cheap next with our money-saving tips.

Our money-saving tips for St. Thomas

There are lots of ways to save money in St.Thomas. Let’s check them out!

Visit in the off-season- The off-season in St.Thomas is from mid-April to mid-December. This means that resorts will slash their rates from 25% to 50%. Keep in mind, that this is often the hurricane season. But, if you plan and check the weather, you can enjoy St. Thomas without that high price.

Do free things- Most of the beaches on St. Thomas are free. This means you can go swimming anytime you’d like to. You can also walk around town and do geo-catching. Take some pictures with your phone as well.

Book flights as early as possible- This is true for any vacation in the Caribbean. The earlier you book your flight, the more likely you’ll save money. Airfare and accommodations are the top 2 expenses on any vacation. Once that’s paid for, you’ll be able to budget for other activities on the island.

Stay in Cheaper accommodations- You’ll want to check the reviews of some hostels or lower-starred resorts to make sure it’s safe. You can check out Tillett Hostel and Guesthouse (or another hostel or accommodation of your choice) for rates! We know there are other awesome places on the island, so be sure to check them all out for the best rate possible.

Check prices early for rental cars- There are taxis on the island, but the costs can add up if you’d like to go to most places on the island. It starts at $45 per person. A rental car for the week can cost between $500-800 per week, but you’ll have the convenience of going wherever you want, anytime. It can be cheaper if you don’t need the car every single day.

So, Is St. Thomas budget-friendly?

Yes, it can be budget-friendly. It depends on your luxury level and the things you want to do. It costs less than a trip to St. Martin and you get to be in the Caribbean on beautiful white-sand beaches.

Not to mention the local food is delicious and can be had on any budget. So if you want to enjoy St. Thomas to the fullest extent without breaking the bank, we recommend having $1700-$2200 per person per week. This way it will pay for the accommodations, and you can enjoy your time on the island

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