North America · Caribbean
🇻🇨 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a low-key, less-developed Caribbean nation with its own nomad visa and a legendary sailing scene — the Grenadines (Bequia, Mustique, the Tobago Cays) are among the world's great yachting playgrounds. Main-island St. Vincent, home to the still-active La Soufrière volcano (which erupted in 2021), is greener and more rugged than glossy. As with the region generally, expect pricey imports, limited healthcare, inconsistent internet and hurricane-season risk, so base yourself thoughtfully and target the dry December–May stretch.
Nomad quick facts
$1250/mo
$2000/mo
76.6 Mbps
2.2 (#133 of 190)
Limited
Dec–Apr
Not available
70.6 / 100
Score breakdown
Relatively low cost of living, Stunning beaches and natural scenery, Specific digital nomad visa for remote workers, Relaxed pace of life
High cost of imported goods, Limited infrastructure and specialized healthcare, Hurricane risk during the season, Inconsistent internet in some areas
Cost of living
St. Vincent and the Grenadines presents moderate Caribbean island costs, with lower accommodation rates on the main island compared to private Grenadines resorts. Nomads optimize spending by basing in Kingstown and sourcing local seafood and produce.
Estimated monthly cost
Single
$1,250/mo
Couple
$2,000/mo
Local spending breakdown
Housing & utilities
$131/mo
Food & groceries
$138/mo
Dining & hotels
$6/mo
Score is based off objective cost-of-living data with World Bank and C2ER Cost of Living Index. The limitation of this data is that it tracks spending of locals, which will be far less than travelers. We applied a nomad-realistic monthly cost estimate to make the amount more accurate. Prices displayed in USD.
World Bank figures reflect national average consumption, which can run high in countries with large wealth gaps (e.g. the US) — the nomad estimate aims to correct for this. Likewise, lower CoL countries will have very low local spending figures, and will not reflect the spending patterns of travelers or nomads.
Sources: C2ER Cost of Living Index · World Bank ICP 2021 · Independent nomad cost estimates
Internet
St. Vincent and the Grenadines offers adequate download capacity across the islands, though specific upload speed and latency metrics are missing from national data.
Download speed
76.6 Mbps
Blends download speed (Ookla Speedtest Global Index) with upload speed and latency (Cloudflare Radar). Speeds are scored between 10 Mbps (0) and 200 Mbps (100); latency counts the opposite way — lower is better. A missing metric doesn't penalize a country, it's scored on whatever data is available.
A national average — city and neighbourhood speeds vary, especially outside major hubs.
Sources: Ookla Speedtest Global Index · Cloudflare Radar
Safety
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is moderately safe, with petty theft and occasional robbery more likely around Kingstown than in the outer islands; Bequia and the Grenadines are calmer and popular with the sailing and long-stay community.
Global safety rank
#133 of 190
Peace Index score
2.2 (lower = safer)
WJP Rule of Law rank
#66 of 143
WJP Rule of Law score
0.74 (higher = safer)
Blends three published safety indices: the Global Peace Index, the WJP Rule of Law Index (Order & Security factor), and the Gallup Global Law and Order Index. Each is rescaled 0-100 and combined with weights favoring GPI and Gallup slightly over WJP. Not every country is tracked by all three — the blend adjusts to whichever are available (weights are renormalized) rather than penalizing a country for a missing source, though a country tracked by fewer sources carries lower confidence.
As this is national average data, be aware that safety varies significantly by city and region within a country.
Sources: Global Peace Index (Institute for Economics & Peace) · WJP Rule of Law Index (World Justice Project) · Gallup Global Law and Order Index
Tourism & infrastructure
The Grenadines — Bequia, Mustique, the Tobago Cays — are among the world's great yachting playgrounds, while main-island St. Vincent offers a greener, more rugged, less-developed Caribbean feel. This is a low-key destination best suited to those drawn to sailing and quiet islands rather than city buzz.
Within-city transit
Limited
Between-city transit
Limited
Tropical; warm and humid year-round with a wet season Jun–Nov (hurricane season).
Best months: Dec–Apr
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has no formal public transit beyond privately run minibus vans on Saint Vincent, which are cheap but informal and stop early. Travel between the Grenadine islands relies on ferries and small boats. Renting a car, hiring taxis or chartering boats is common; Kingstown is walkable but hilly.
A weighted blend of published indices: the World Economic Forum's Tourism Development Index (weighted highest — the strongest predictor of appeal), Numbeo's Quality of Life Index, the World Happiness Report, Gallup's day-to-day enjoyment data, the EF English Proficiency Index, and a public transit assessment covering both within-city and between-city transport. Not every country is scored on all six — the blend adjusts to whichever are available rather than penalizing a country for a missing one.
Sources: WEF Tourism Development Index · Numbeo Quality of Life Index · World Happiness Report · Gallup · EF English Proficiency Index · Public transit assessment
Visa & entry
Tourist entry — USA passport
Visa-free — 180 days
Digital nomad visa
Other visa types to be aware of
Residence Permit
Visa and immigration laws are rapidly changing, always double-check official sources. Tax figures are estimated only — actual liability depends on your residency status, income structure, and tax treaties. Consult a tax professional prior to travel.
Top cities for nomads in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Capital & largest; main hub, most amenities, ferries & services; working port, not a beach base.
St. Vincent's beach & guesthouse strip near the capital; where most visitors base.
Laid-back main Grenadine island; sailing, beaches, good internet, peaceful.
Kitesurfing & sailing hub in the southern Grenadines; tiny, remote, breezy.