There’s no doubt about it, living in Grenada, or anywhere in the Caribbean, is far more expensive than living in many other parts of the world. It may not be the ideal location for people on a tight budget, but there are ways to save some money, while still having a great time.
The cost of every-day items are comparable (if not more) than those in Canada, while the price of hotels is far more. If you’re thinking of travelling to or moving to Grenada, this list will help you get a better idea of what goods cost here.
For us, living in Grenada is still a great value because we are pet sitting and have no accommodation costs. We spend our money on gas, groceries and the odd night out. There are so many things to do in Grenada, many of which are free – walks on the beach, hikes in the jungle or swimming in waterfalls.
All prices are in East Caribbean Dollars, exclusive of Tax.
(At the time of writing, $1 USD = $2.70 ECD)
Groceries:
Food
1 Dozen Eggs – $10
Loaf of Whole Wheat Bread – $3.50
Container of Yogurt (32oz.) – $10
Block of New Zealand Unsalted Butter – $7
Small Block of New Zealand White Cheddar Cheese – $7
Box of Name Brand Cereal – $20
Spaghetti Pasta (400g) – $4
Basmati Rice (1kg) – $14.50
Frozen Chicken Drumsticks (2.5lb) – $23
Frozen Tilapia Fish Fillets (2lb) – $37
Fresh Fish from the Market in St. George’s – $8 / pound
Frozen Italian Sausage (19oz) – $27
Mayonnaise (30oz) – $20
Ketchup (34oz) $15
Lettuce – $5 / pound
Carrots – $4 / pound
Green Peppers – $6 / pound
Avocado – $2 / pound
Bag of Limes – $1.25 / pound
Tomatoes – $5 / pound
Mangoes – $1 each
Soursop & Papaya – $5 / pound
Drink
1L Mineral Water – $3 (tap water is safe to drink, Free!)
1L Milk – $5.50
1L 100% natural juice – $6.50
8oz Packet of Coffee Grounds – $26
Carib Beer – $3.75 / 275ML bottle, $20 for a 6 pack
Bottle of Inexpensive Import Wine – $25
Household Items/Toiletries
Dish Soap – $6
Toilet Paper (4 rolls) – $5.50
Paper Towel – $4
Liquid Laundry Detergent (1.5L) – $17
Toothpaste – $12
Transportation:
Local Minibus – $2.50 – $4
Petrol – $15.95 / Gallon
Grenada Driver’s Licence (valid for 3 months) – $100
Yearly Vehicle Registration – $300
Ferry to Neighbouring Islands – $20 to Petite Martinique and $80 to Carriacou (one way)
Accommodation:
(Which part of the island you live on really dictates what the cost will be)
One Bedroom, Furnished Apartment (True Blue Area) – $2,450 / month
Three Bedroom, Furnished House (Lance aux E’pines Area) – $3,500 / month
Four Bedroom, Furnished House With Yard and View of Marina (Springs Area) – $2,025 / month
Hotel – $250+ / night (Check out the stunning Mount Cinnamon Grenada boutique hotel!)
House Sitting – Free!
Camping on the Beach – Free!
20 lb Tank of Cooking Gas: $45
Utilities (based on a family of 5 in a house)
- Electricity: $260 / month (not including air-conditioning charges)
- Water & Sewage: $40 / month
- Fast Internet: $130 / month (a slower internet package is available for $75 / month)
Entertainment:
Americano Coffee at Cafe – $8
Beer at Restaurant – $4 – $8 (go for Happy Hour!)
Cocktail – $15+
Seafood Dinner – $50+
Hamburger at Beachside Restaurant – $20 +
Pizza at Bar/Grill – $35 +
Chicken Roti at Local Shop – $10
Side of the Road BBQ Chicken & Pork – $8-$10
Local Restaurant Buffet Style – $8 – $20 (for meat and salads, price is based on weight)
Going to the Cinema (General Admission) – $20
Hiking, Visiting Waterfalls and Going to the Beach – Free!
Totals:
On average, we are spending $3,250EC ($1,200USD) / month, for the both of us living in Grenada. This includes lots of beer and wine, having a full fridge of food, going out to a restaurant about three times a month, going for coffee a few times a month and doing lots of driving around the island.
We spend much less living in Grenada than most people would, because we’re pet-sitting and therefore aren’t paying any accommodation costs. We haven’t had to take the bus or purchase a car as we have been generously provided two vehicles by the homeowners. We do, however, pay for our own petrol. Nick and I enjoy spending our time hiking and visiting the many beaches and waterfalls…which are free activities!
No matter how much you end up spending while living in (or visiting) Grenada, it’ll be worth every penny. This island truly is paradise.
READ MORE:
- Travel to Grenada: The Ultimate Budget Guide
- A Travel Guide to The Best Beaches in Grenada
- The Ultimate Guide To Travelling Grenada
Like it? Pin it!
Wow, some of these things are surprisingly expensive! It’s good to know that the tap water is safe to drink there, though…and of course that there are many free activities to do!
An exceptional post.
Great resource on costs in Grenada. Yeah, there are a lot of things that cost a lot here….especially if it’s imported. I love the fact that I can eat 100 mangos a day for free during mango season. Back in North America that would cost a fortune. Another cost saving is not needing different clothes for different seasons. Nature is always free and there is so much of it here to experience.
That’s pretty amazing you guys are able to live in paradise for $1200 a month! It’s interesting seeing the breakdown of costs in Grenada. It’s crazy how expensive some of the food items are and how inexpensive the fruit is. That’s the best 🙂 I’m living in Jakarta right now. Obviously the prices are way lower than in the US but alcohol is taxed so heavily! Think $30-40 for a bottle of Yellow Tail (which only costs $5 back in the US)!
It’s amazing how expensive bottled water can be in some countries (here included). People often don’t realize they have to set aside money for water each day!
Cheers Sam 🙂
Good point – only one set of clothes! We don’t need winter gear here 🙂 Totally agree that it’s wonderful to get free fruit off of the trees, such a great perk of living in Grenada.
Thanks for commenting and giving us some info!
Cheers.
Indonesia is a very cheap place to live/travel! $5 in the states for a bottle of Yellowtail? We get that for around $16 in Canada! We have heavy liquor tax in Canada so for us, all booze seems cheap abroad 🙂
Thanks for the comment.
Interesting – do you realize that Granada is more expensive than Prague? We’ve been in Prague and it’s running at $1500-$2000/mo including accommodation ($500/mo). Hard to believe. But it looks great and I’d also love to be doing some hiking right now. And I bet warmer than Czech Republic because its been a darn cold summer.
Frank (bbqboy)
Wow, Prague is actually cheaper than I thought. I figured we’d be at around $3,000/month travelling there. $500/month for accommodation seems pretty good to me! Grenada isn’t the cheapest place in the world, but it’s not the most expensive either 🙂
Housesitting truly is a travel hack that opens up the developed world to the budget minded traveler … plus you get to hang out with cute dogs and cats 🙂
Well said!
Curious about how one goes about getting started with house/pet sitting. As a senior citizen, I may have an edge over you youngsters when it comes to having people willing to have me in their home.
Any hints appreciated!
Peggy
Hi Peggy!
haha, I think it depends on what the homeowner is looking for, but I’m sure you’ll land yourself some great jobs 🙂
You can check out our article here on how we saved $24,000 in accommodation costs, it has links and info on how you can get started too:
https://bit.ly/sidebar-housesitting
Happy travels!
Hi guys, your breakdown of living costs is fantastic and extremely helpful. I currently live I Europe, so even adding in rent it sounds pretty comparable. Why the info has been so helpful is we are in the planning stages of compliling critical info for a move to Grenada for a year, to see if we want to move for good.
I wonder if you have any info on a few things I am struggling to find, in particular rental adverts for properties. I love the idea of pet sitting, but we have dogs of our own which we will be taking with us, so we have to rent – with quite specific requirements having dogs (big garden for them to run and fenced for safety).
But everything I’ve seen online seems nowhere near your above numbers, so assuming being on the ground is different from searching international agency sites. Are there any local websites or classified we can peruse or place an ad in that you know of? Any help will be gratefully appreciated
Many thanks
Wow, that’s exciting that you’re planning a move to Grenada! Yes, prices on the ground are most certainly cheaper than online. I would suggest staying in a hotel or something while you look around for a house.
Check out this website that our friend Darryl runs. He’s currently living in Grenada and may be able to help you out with some sites to look at 🙂
http://www.lovingthebike.com
Cheers!
I’m moving to Grenada to attend SGU in January 2016. I’m really glad I came across your blog. I will not have a car. Is it hard to come across a bicycle there? Do many people bike on the island? I plan to live close to the Food Fair Supermarket. How do you feel about that area?
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks for the comment 🙂 Check with our friend darryl from http://www.lovingthebike.com, he lives in Grenada and is a bike fanatic! He’s the guy to ask 🙂 Food Fair in Grand Anse is a good area.
Enjoy!
Hi there me and my wife is planning to get a dual citizenship among the different carribean countries by donation? But not sure among all carribean countries is better? grenada? St kitt? Antigua? Or dominica? May i asked your opinions regarding safety issues: crime/ hurriicane? Cost of living? Tax? Healthcare? Etc. We are planning to get citizenship first then maybe after several plan to settle there for good
By the way we intend only to get citizenship for now then maybe settle there for good during our retirement years.
Hi good Post I will love to move to Grenada. So please is there JOBS?. Thanks
May I know is there school or college in the city and how much it cost ?
My gosh, $10 for 12 eggs! What is minimum wage? How can the locals afford to live?
Oh it seems to be very expensive. But it worth living there I think.
Thanks you have explained everything very well.
Oh it seems to be very expensive. But it worth living there I think.
Thanks you have explained everything very well.
Yes, it’s quite expensive when compared to many parts of the world. But as far as the Caribbean goes, it’s one of the more affordable islands. Thank you for commenting!
Howdy I’ve read your blog a few times over the last yr or so. We are seriously considering moving Grenada, and would love to talk to you guys about it. Please feel free to email us and if you’re interested we could give you a call. Thanks, wishing you’re well. Peace, Curtis and Christine
Paradise..Home sweet home
Hi, I’m looking for a country that accept black people. A country I can migrate to with my family, a county I can become a citizen in and is affordable to live in. I also need few tips on how to earn money online. Would be grateful if you reached out to me. Thanks.