What Would My Monthly Expenses Be Like Living In The British Virgin Islands?

Q:  How much is the budget on food, rents and others stuff monthly like that?

A:  Rent could be between $800.00 - $1500.00 and up.  This all depends on the number of rooms and if the apartment is furnished or not and if utilities are included in the rent.

Electricity: We pay an average of $60.00 monthly in a 2 bedroom apartment with my husband and I.

Water: $50.00

Cable TV: $55.00 (we have the basic service).  Since after hurricane Irma 2017, we no longer pay for cable TV.  The company that provided that service has closed down.  I use Netflix and pay for one device which is $7.99 a month.

Groceries: We spend about $400.00 a month and we don't buy meat.  Many people opt to going to St. Thomas (of course you will have to have your american visa) and buy bulk grocery items.  There is a Price Mart outlet there.

Cruise ship docked at Tortola Pier Park, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

How To Get A Job In The British Virgin Islands

Q:  What is the process to get a job in the British Virgin Islands?

A:  You can do your research before arriving in the British Virgin Islands.  You can check out this online newspaper BVI Beacon newspaper and look for job vacancies and apartments to rent in the classified ads section.  
I like to recommend this website because they update the classified ads section on a regular basis.

A word of caution though, many jobs vacancies you may see in the classified ads section of the newspapers would have been filled.  The reason the vacancies would still be in the newspapers is that the employer has to put an ad in the papers for two weeks. This is part of the work permit process.

However have no fear there will be 'real' job vacancies listed the the classified section of the newspapers.

Of course, you can come on vacation and look for a job while you are here.  You will definitely have to leave the island once you have found a job and your work permit is being processed. 

Other Things To Know About Living In The British Virgin Islands

Mailing Service

There isn't any door to door mailing service. In order to collect mails we have to go to the post office.  Some people get a post office box for which they have pay an annual fee for this service.

Garbage Disposal

There isn't any door to door garbage collection service.  There are huge green bins located at strategic points and we have to take our garbage and put them in these bins.  At the end of the day the garbage trucks will come and empty these green bins.

International Airport

Tortola is connected to Beef Island by a bridge.  The international airport, Terrance B Lettsome International Airport, is located on Beef island.

Bridge that connects Tortola and Beef Island

British Virgin Islands Taxes

When you have completed the process of obtaining your work permit you are required to sign up for Social Security and National Health Insurance.

With each pay check your employer will deduct 4% of your earnings for Social Security and 3.75% for National Health Insurance.  The employer also has to make a contribution on your behalf 4.5%, of your monthly earnings, for Social Security and 3.75% for National Health Insurance.

We are allowed ten thousand dollars tax free earnings for the year.  After that we are required to pay 8%, per pay check, for Payroll Tax and our employer pays 6% Payroll Tax.

FYI   We don't pay taxes on goods and services.

Questions And Answers About Living In The British Virgin Islands

Saba Rock British Virgin Islands

Quite a few people have asked me what is the procedure to live in the British Virgin Islands.  So you can start from here learning about the process.  I tell people to do their research before accepting any job offer in the British Virgin Islands

Q:  Am I required to get a visa to travel to the British Virgin Islands?

A:  Only people from certain countries are required to get a visa to travel to the British Virgin Islands.  Guyana, Santo Domingo and Jamaica.

Q:  What currency is used in the British Virgin Islands?

Answer:  United States Of America dollars.  The British Virgin Islands is governed by the British and is located very close to the United States Virgin Islands which uses the United States Of America dollars so for easy trade between the two territories, the USD is also used the British Virgin Islands.

Q:  Can my wife live with me in the British Virgin Islands and be unemployed?

A:  Yes she can.  You will be required to put up a bond for her which from my experience, a one time fee is USD1,000.00.  If she eventually decides to get a job she will be required to be taken off the bond - change of immigration status.  You will then be refunded the bond fee.

Q:  How do I travel to the British Virgin Islands?

A:  If you live in the Caribbean you can use LIAT airline to travel to the British Virgin Islands.  Caribbean Airlines will fly to St. Martin and you can get LIAT  Airlines from there.  Eventhough the name of the airport in the British Virgin Islands is Terrence B. Lettsome International airport, the runway is not large enough to accommodate the large aircrafts.

Check with your travel agents for the best flight route for you.

Tip: I normally get cheaper flights with LIAT online.

Another option is to travel to St. Thomas (you might get a cheap flight using that route) but you will need an American Visa for that trip.  From St. Thomas you can get a ferry to the British Virgin Islands.

Q: What is the native language spoken in the British Virgin Islands.

A:  English

6 Things To Know About Living In The British Virgin Islands

Craft Alive Village, Road Town, Tortola,
British Virgin Islands

In this blog post, I list 6 things that that you might be interested in knowing if you want to live in the British Virgin Islands. 

1.  Work Permit
In order to be living in the British Virgin Islands you must be legally employed.  To do that you must have a work permit.  After you have obtained employment your potential employer would submit your work permit to the labour department.  You are required have to leave the territory at this point until your work permit has been approved.

After your work permit has been approved* you will have to return to the territory (with a return ticket) and pay a work permit fee.  This fee is calculated based on your job title.  Some employers pay for some of their employees work permits without a reimbursement agreement.  Some employers may pay for your work permit if you ask them.  You will have to reimburse your employer over an agreed period of time.  You will also have to pay for immigration time which is a standard US25.00.  And have it renewed annually.

*You will be required to do a medical check up in your home country and get a police report

You will have to renew your work permit every year.

2. Vehicles
The vehicles we drive are left hand drive vehicles and we drive on the left side of the road.

3. Capital of the British Virgin Islands
Tortola is the primary island of the British virgin islands and the capital is Road Town

4. Driver's License

When you first arrive in the territory you can use your current drivers license for 3 months.  After that you will have to get a British Virgin Islands drivers license - you will have to do a written test with your application.

5. BVI Sources Of Revenue
The territory main sources of revenue of tourism and off shore banking

6. The Islands Of The British Virgin Islands 

The islands in the territory are:

Tortola, Anegada, Beef Island, Safa Rock, Virgin Gorda, Jos Van Dyke, Peter Island, Salt island, Ginger Island, Norman Island, Cooper Island

7. Food Franchise Outlets
There are no food franchise outlets and malls in the territory.  You will have to travel to St. Thomas for the malls and food franchise outlets.