Cost of Living in St Maarten and St Martin (2026): What Residents and Owners Really Pay
Short answer: day-to-day life costs more than in most of the US or Canada, mainly because of electricity and imported goods. Housing is where you have choices. Here is what we see from our office in Simpson Bay, with the figures dated and sourced.
Two currencies on one island
The Dutch side, Sint Maarten, uses the Caribbean guilder (XCG). It replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder on 31 March 2025 and is pegged at US$1 = XCG 1.79 (source). In practice prices are quoted in dollars almost everywhere: rents, condo fees, restaurants, property. The French side, Saint-Martin, uses the euro.
The peg matters for budgeting. Your dollar costs on the Dutch side stay stable. On the French side, a euro bill moves with the exchange rate.
Taxes you pay at the till
Dutch side: no VAT. Businesses charge a 5% turnover tax on goods and services. Basic food, water, electricity and cooking gas are on a short exempt list (Grant Thornton).
French side: no French VAT either. Saint-Martin levies its own general turnover tax (TGCA), at 4% on retail sales of goods and services since October 2014 (IEDOM). The Territorial Council voted a tax reform framework in September 2026; no specific measure has been published.
Coming: a visitor levy on the Dutch side, targeted for January 2027. No final amount is in the current draft (SMN News).
Electricity: the bill newcomers notice first
GEBE, the Dutch-side utility, bills a base rate of XCG 0.25 per kWh, unchanged since 2011, plus a fuel clause that follows oil prices. The fuel clause rose from XCG 0.36 in April 2026 to XCG 0.45 per kWh for May 2026 (St. Maarten News). Together that is XCG 0.70, about US$0.39 per kWh at the peg.
Air conditioning drives most of the bill. Before you buy, ask the seller for twelve months of utility bills. Inverter air conditioning, solar water heaters and solar panels change the numbers more than any other upgrade.
Groceries and fuel
Prices were stable in early 2026. The Department of Statistics (STAT) put Dutch-side inflation at 0.66% year on year in the first quarter of 2026. Food rose 1.29%. Fuel moved faster: gasoline up 5.0% and diesel up 10.8% on the year (STAT via 721 News).
Imported brands cost more than at home, so budget for the products you will not give up. Many residents shop on both sides of the island.
Housing: rent, own, or both
Housing is the largest line for most households. STAT's household survey, as reported in June 2026, puts housing, water, electricity and fuel at 37% of average household spending (St. Maarten News).
If you own a condo, the monthly association fee is the cost to plan around. It usually covers building insurance, the pool, security and common areas. Across the 29 homes for sale on our books with a published monthly fee (9 October 2026), fees run from $350 to $1,500 a month. The median is $700. Ten are under $600; seven are $1,000 or more.
Lower-fee examples on the market now: the Hills Residence 1-bedroom in Simpson Bay ($350,000, $350 a month), the Simpson Bay Yacht Club waterfront condo ($375,000, $350 a month) and Princess Heights in Oyster Pond ($299,000, $645 a month). At the top end, beachfront buildings with full service, like Aqualina in Simpson Bay, run above $1,100 a month.
Owners also budget for windstorm insurance on the contents, utilities and, if they rent the home out, management. Ours is 20% of rental income (property management). Property taxes differ by side of the island; we explain them in Property Taxes in Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin.
Dutch side or French side?
Currency: dollars in practice on the Dutch side; euros on the French side.
Spending tax: 5% turnover tax (Dutch side); 4% TGCA (French side).
Buying costs: about 5.5% in total on the Dutch side; the 8% registration duty plus the notaire's fees on the French side. See our buyer guide.
Where people live: Simpson Bay and Cole Bay for shops, restaurants and the airport; Cupecoy for beachfront condos; Grand Case and Orient Bay on the French side.
How to keep the cost of living down
Pick the building for its fees, not only its view. Ask for the budget and the reserve fund.
Ask for a year of electricity bills, and favor homes with solar or inverter air conditioning.
Live close to where you work or shop. Traffic between Simpson Bay, Cole Bay and Philipsburg costs time and fuel.
If you are away part of the year, renting the home through a manager can cover the fixed costs.
Questions we get
Is St Maarten expensive to live in?
Day-to-day costs are higher than in most of the US or Canada, mainly electricity and imported goods. Housing costs vary widely: condo association fees on our current listings run from $350 to $1,500 a month (9 October 2026).
What currency is used in St Maarten?
The Dutch side uses the Caribbean guilder (XCG), pegged at US$1 = XCG 1.79 since its launch on 31 March 2025, and US dollars are accepted almost everywhere. The French side uses the euro.
How much is electricity in St Maarten?
GEBE charges a base rate of XCG 0.25 per kWh plus a fuel clause, which was XCG 0.45 per kWh for May 2026: about US$0.39 per kWh in total. Air conditioning is the main driver of the bill.
Is there VAT in St Maarten?
No. The Dutch side charges a 5% turnover tax, with basic food, water, electricity and cooking gas exempt. The French side charges its own 4% general turnover tax (TGCA).
What does it cost to own a condo in St Maarten?
Plan for the monthly association fee (median $700 on our current listings), contents insurance, utilities and, if you rent it out, management at 20% of rental income with Andreu Realty.
Prices and fees from Andreu Realty's listings on 9 October 2026.
Thinking of moving? Read Moving to Sint Maarten from the US or Canada, browse condos for sale in Sint Maarten, or talk to our team.
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