Back to the ranking tool

North America · Caribbean

🇻🇨 St. Vincent and the Grenadines

#93 of 203 overall~$1250/mo (single)

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

Cost (single)

$1250/mo

Cost (couple)

$2000/mo

Internet speed

76.6 Mbps

Safety

2.2 (#133 of 190)

Public transit

Limited

Best months

Dec–Apr

Digital nomad visa

Not available

Nomad score

70.6 / 100

Score breakdown

83Cost
68Internet
56Safety
65Tourism
81Visa
Why nomads love it

Relatively low cost of living, Stunning beaches and natural scenery, Specific digital nomad visa for remote workers, Relaxed pace of life

Watch out for

High cost of imported goods, Limited infrastructure and specialized healthcare, Hurricane risk during the season, Inconsistent internet in some areas

Cost of living

83/ 100 score

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

68/ 100 score

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

56/ 100 score

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

65/ 100 score

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

Climate

Tropical; warm and humid year-round with a wet season Jun–Nov (hurricane season).

Best months: Dec–Apr

Transit

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

KingstownCapital

Capital & largest; main hub, most amenities, ferries & services; working port, not a beach base.

VillaPopular

St. Vincent's beach & guesthouse strip near the capital; where most visitors base.

BequiaHidden Gem

Laid-back main Grenadine island; sailing, beaches, good internet, peaceful.

Union IslandHidden Gem

Kitesurfing & sailing hub in the southern Grenadines; tiny, remote, breezy.

Book your stay early to save

Similar countries