Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Johns

Country Full Name: Antigua and Barbuda.

Location: Antigua and Barbuda are Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico.

Country Climate: Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation.

Country Terrain: Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas.

Major Languages: English.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Population: 0.031 Mil (2012 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of Antigua and Barbuda's is service-based, with tourism and government services representing the key sources of employment and income. Tourism accounts directly or indirectly for more than half of GDP and is also the principal earner of foreign exchange in Antigua and Barbuda.

Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (XCD). Make an international currency transfer to Antigua.

Inflation: 3.7% (2011 est.).

St John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. St John's is the commercial centre of the nation and the chief port of the island of Antigua.

St. John's is one of the most developed and cosmopolitan municipalities in the Lesser Antilles. The city is famous for its various shopping malls as well as boutiques throughout the city, selling designer jewellery and haute-couture clothing. There are also many independent, locally-run establishments, selling a variety of fashions. The investment banking industry has a strong presence in the city. Many major world financial institutions have offices in St. John's.

The cost of living in Saint John's in Antigua and Barbuda is high compared to other places. The overall cost of living is determined using the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across 13 Basket Groups. Saint John's in Antigua and Barbuda is currently ranked 208 overall out of 780 places (rank 1 is most expensive: rank 780 is least expensive). The cost of living rank for each of the 13 Basket Groups is as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco costs are average compared to other places for items such as alcohol at a bar, beer, locally produced spirit, whiskey, wine (where alcohol is legally sold) and tobacco related products. There are 338 places that are more expensive, and 441 places that are less expensive for alcohol and or tobacco.

Clothing costs are low compared to other places for items such as business suits, casual clothing, children's clothing, coats, evening wear, footwear, hats, shoe repairs and underwear. There are 589 places that are more expensive, and 190 places that are less expensive for clothing.

Communication costs are high compared to other places for various communication costs such as call charges, home telephone rental, internet connection, mobile data costs, mobile phone contract and service provider fees. There are 256 places that are more expensive, and 523 places that are less expensive for communication.

Education costs are average compared to other places for items such as creche / pre-school fees, primary school fees, high school fees and tertiary study fees. There are 341 places that are more expensive, and 438 places that are less expensive for education.

Furniture & Appliance costs are very high compared to other places for items such as DVD player, fridge freezer, furniture, household equipment, iron, kettle, light bulbs, microwave, television, toaster, vacuum cleaner and washing machine. There are 102 places that are more expensive, and 677 places that are less expensive for furniture and appliances.

Grocery costs are high compared to other places for items such as baby consumables, baked goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning materials, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices & herbs. There are 174 places that are more expensive, and 605 places that are less expensive for groceries.

Healthcare costs are average compared to other places for general healthcare, general practitioner consultation rates, healthcare/medical insurance, hospital private ward daily rate and non-prescription medicine. There are 384 places that are more expensive, and 395 places that are less expensive for healthcare.

Household Accommodation costs are high compared to other places for items such as accommodation, apartment, flat, house, villa, rent, electricity, household fuels, household gas, water, and local property rates / residential taxes / levies. There are 246 places that are more expensive, and 533 places that are less expensive for household accommodation.

Miscellaneous costs are average compared to other places for items such as dry cleaning, general goods, general services, linen, magazines, maid, newspapers, office supplies, postage stamps and stationery. There are 331 places that are more expensive, and 448 places that are less expensive for miscellaneous items.

Personal Care costs are high compared to other places for items such as cosmetics, hair care, moisturizer, nappies, pain relief tablets, shampoo, soap, sun block, toilet paper and toothpaste. There are 275 places that are more expensive, and 504 places that are less expensive for personal care.

Recreation and Culture costs are high compared to other places for items such as books, camera, cinema tickets, fitness/health club membership, sports goods and theatre tickets. There are 258 places that are more expensive, and 521 places that are less expensive for recreation and culture.

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel costs are average compared to other places for items such as a business dinner, dinner at a family restaurant (non fast food), 4 star and 5 star hotel rates and take away meal (fast food). There are 396 places that are more expensive, and 383 places that are less expensive for restaurants, meals out and hotels.

Transport costs are high compared to other places for items such as car hire purchase, car insurance, car lease, car maintenance, car rental, car service, diesel, petrol, tyres and public transport. There are 245 places that are more expensive, and 534 places that are less expensive for transport.

Personalized cost of living indexes for Saint John's in Antigua and Barbuda are based on the basket groups and comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

In terms of the hardship people are likely to experience, assessed in global terms, Saint John's in Antigua and Barbuda is ranked as some hardship with a hardship index of 20%.

Personalized hardship index premiums for Saint John's in Antigua and Barbuda are based on the comparison location(s) selected in the Calculators.

Note: Xpatulator.com data is updated quarterly. The latest update is as at 1 April 2012. Create a personalized cost of living comparison report using the calculators:
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