Cost Of Living in St. Martin 2024

Average monthly spending for singles, couples, students, and families in St. Martin

Whether you're living in St. Martin or planning to move there, it is very important to know the cost of living and the prices of things. Here we list the average spending for the four main population groups.

Singles

The average monthly expense for a single person living in St. Martin is 17,000 BDT. Expenses can range from 2,300 BDT at the minimum level to 110,000 BDT at the highest end.

Couples

The average monthly spending of couples in St. Martin is 28,000 BDT. Expenditure can range from 9,300 BDT to 150,000 BDT per month.

Families

The average cost of living for families in St. Martin is 37,000 BDT per month. Families spend anywhere from 13,000 BDT to 240,000 BDT.

Students

The average monthly expenditure for students in St. Martin is 12,000 BDT. Students spend from 1,900 BDT to 83,000 BDT per month.

Expenditure to Income Ratio in St. Martin

One of the most definite ways to determine how affordable a place is measuring the ratio of expenses to salary. A high expense-to-income to ratio indicates a high cost-of-living index while a low expenditure-to-salary ratio means the place is affordable to live in.

Expense to income distribution levels

Interpretation and Analysis

The average spending-to-salary ratio in St. Martin is 80% This means that on average, people spend around 80% of their income for living. According to the distribution table, 14% of the population spend approximately 60% to 70% of their income every month.

Individual
72%
Spending-Income-Ratio

---

67%

79%

Couple
76%
Spending-Income-Ratio

---

71%

83%

Family
84%
Spending-Income-Ratio

---

78%

92%

How do people spend their money in St. Martin?

We asked thousands of people about their spending habits and expenditure breaks. Below are their answers.

People living in St. Martin typically spend from 12% to 31% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 23% being the average. The average spend on housing is 7,200 BDT with expenditure ranging from 560 BDT to 72,000 BDT. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses. Housing costs are highest for families and lowest for students as expected.

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in St. Martin ranges from 5% to 12% of total expenses with 8% being the average. The average monthly cost of utilities is 1,200 BDT with 93 BDT and 12,000 BDT being the upper and lower limits.

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether you live near your work or school, but roughly speaking you would expect to spend from 190 BDT to 24,000 BDT on commuting with 2,400 BDT being the norm for most people in one month. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 6% of total spending on average but can go as low as 3% or as high as 10%.

The average outlay on groceries in a month in St. Martin is 6,000 BDT. The cost of groceries can range between 460 BDT to 60,000 BDT. People spend on average about 29% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 21% and 35% respectively.

People in St. Martin allocate 6% to 14% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending is around 11%. The range of medical expenses range from 130 BDT to 17,000 BDT with 1,700 BDT being the norm.

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 74 BDT to 9,700 BDT with 970 BDT being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 8% of total expenses with an average of 4% for most residents.

Spending on education can vary drastically between different people. While working singles can spend 0% on education, families and students' expenditure can reach up to 22%. On average, education constitutes 5% of the monthly expenditure with 3% and 11% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,400 BDT per month with 110 BDT being the minimum spent amount and 14,000 BDT being the maximum.

How much money can you save in St. Martin every month?

We asked thousands of people what percentage of their income can they save in a month. Below are the answers.

What percentage of people in St. Martin manage to save money from their income every month?

Almost 49% of the surveyed people in St. Martin said that they can save some money at the end of each month while 52% said that aren't saving anything.

Percentage of people saving money by population group in St. Martin

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

For most people, 7.3% to 26% of their monthly income is what they can allocate to their savings, with 14% being the average. The amount of money that people can save is approximately 6,900 BDT on average with savings ranging from 530 BDT to 69,000 BDT.

51% of surveyed singles reported some of their income going to savings while 46% of couples said the same. 42% of families confirmed their ability to save money.

How much money do people actually save in St. Martin?

Singles

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

Savings to income distribution levels for singles

Interpretation and Analysis

Singles who can afford to save reported that they allocate from 10% to 28% of their monthly income to savings, with 17% being the average for most singles. The average amount of money that singles are able to save is 4,800 BDT with 530 BDT and 32,000 BDT being the minimum and maximum respectively.

Couples

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

Savings to income distribution levels for couples

Interpretation and Analysis

Couples who confirmed their ability to save reported saving equivalent to 8.2% to 27% of their monthly income, with 16% being the average for most couples. The average amount of money that couples can save is 8,000 BDT with 2,700 BDT and 43,000 BDT being the minimum and maximum respectively.

Families

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

Savings to income distribution levels for families

Interpretation and Analysis

Families in St. Martin can save anywhere between 7.3% to 25% of their monthly income, with 13% being the average for most families. The average amount of money that families can put aside is 11,000 BDT with 3,700 BDT and 69,000 BDT being the minimum and maximum respectively.

Saving Challenges in St. Martin

Reasons that make it difficult for people to save money

We wanted to understand what is stopping people from maximizing their savings in St. Martin. Listed below are the answers given by the survey participants.

Around 4% of the people said that their salary is too low to accommodate a portion for savings while 7% said that the high cost of living leaves little room for savings. 12% of the residents said that they are burdened with debt and find it challenging to save money. 12% reported that they just don't have the knowledge or discipline to create and stick to a budget, leading to overspending and an inability to save. 12% blamed impulsive spending as the reason for saving inability. Around 7% said that unexpected expenses like medical bills or car repairs are derailing their savings goals. 5% bluntly said that they don't see the purpose of it and prefer to live each day to the fullest. 22% reported that they understand the value of saving but are putting off saving for the future, thinking they have plenty of time to start later. 14% blamed inflation, saying that every time they save some money they end up using it immediately. A surprising 3% said that social pressure and keeping up with peers or social expectations makes them overspend. Lastly, 2% blamed market instability and price fluctuations.

Typical saving choices for people in St. Martin

Where do people choose to put their savings?

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in St. Martin

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked residents one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in St. Martin?

Around 41% of surveyed residents think that living in St. Martin is affordable with proper budgeting while 59% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in St. Martin

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked residents how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options49%

Few low-cost options51%

Based on the survey, 49% of the people living in St. Martin have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 51% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked residents of St. Martin whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes40%

No60%

Based on the survey, 60% of the people living in St. Martin said that they don't have an emergency fund while 40% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in Bangladesh

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy40%

We asked residents of Bangladesh whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 60% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 40% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether residents of Bangladesh have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 54% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 46% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance54%

Easily manages finances46%

Financial goals of people in St. Martin

In an attempt to understand the economic situation in St. Martin, we asked participants about their financial targets. By knowing what the population in general is trying to achieve, we can shed light on the economic outlook, cost of living, and quality of life in general.

Around 9% of those who participated in the survey said that their main goal is to establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses while 45% said their number one priority is to pay off high-interest debt or loans and improve credit. 11% of surveyed people confirmed that saving for retirement to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in the final years is their main target. Around 6% reported that their priority is saving for the tuition fees and education costs of their children while 19% choose to buy a home or pay off existing mortgage before other things. 6% of the population would like to build wealth through investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. For 5% of people, saving for vacations or upgrading their lifestyle is the number one concern. Approximately 15% of the residents said that saving for healthcare expenses including insurance premiums is their main goal.

Retirement, pension plans, and life after work in St. Martin

What does the retirement lifestyle look like in St. Martin and how much retirement savings are required?

Retirement age

The retirement age for most employees in Bangladesh is 65 years. Specific retirement ages can vary based on factors like occupation, gender, years of contribution, and location. It is not entirely unlikely for people to retire either before or after this age.

Retirement planning and savings

There are many retirement saving options, some are personally initiated and others are government-sponsered. Regardless of the source of savings, the minimum amount of money that needs to be put aside to ensure a peaceful and comfortable retirement at each age can be found in the table below. This data is largely approximated and can vary drastically based on individual needs and situations. Treat these figures as a general guideline.

Retirement Income Distribution

We asked residents of St. Martin about their retirement income sources and below are the results.

Retirement Monthly Expenses in St. Martin

Debt, loans, and mortgages in St. Martin

Percentage of people who are in debt

According to the survey, 28% of the people in St. Martin have some kind of debt, loan, mortgage, or credit card payments while 73% reported that they don't have financial obligations to banks.

Debt-to-income ratio in St. Martin

Interpretation

The debt-to-income ratio measures the percentage of income being paid as debt settlement across the population. It is calculated by dividing the monthly debt settlement payment of an individual by their monthly income. Based on collected data, approximately 29% of the people's monthly income in St. Martin goes to debt settlement.

Debt levels

Monthly debt settlement payment as percentage of monthly income

According to our data, 3% of the debtors in St. Martin pay 60%+ of their income as debt settlement while 20% of the people pay 50% to 60% of their income for the same, which is quite an alarming financial situation for those individuals. 15% of people in debt dedicate 40% to 50% of their income to loan and mortgage payments while 17% dedicated 30% to 40% of income for same. Things are looking brighter for 9% of individuals as they only pay 20% to 30% of their income for loan and credit card repayment.

Distribution by type of debt in St. Martin

7% of debtors in St. Martin confirm that real estate mortgages constitutes the main part of their outstanding debt while 31% say that credit card payments are the reason they are in debt. Auto loans were the main type of debt for 13% of people and personal loans rose at 45%. Lastly, student loans are the main source of debt for 4% of debtors in St. Martin.

Good debt vs. Bad debt

Not all debt is bad. Good debt typically refers to borrowing money for investments that can increase in value or generate income over time like purchasing a home or acquiring student loans. On the other hand, bad debt involves borrowing for things that fail to generate lasting value like high-interest credit card debt used for non-essential expenses like luxury items or vacations.

Loan Affordability Index in St. Martin

Besides measuring the loan-to-income ratio, we asked residents of St. Martin how many times in a year they defaulted or were unable to pay their due credit card or loan payments on time. Understanding how often people default on their due payments is one of the indicators of the cost of living and economic situation.

Frequency and percentage of people who failed to pay their monthly credit card or loan payments on time last year.

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in St. Martin

Rent Cost in St. Martin

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

2,000 BDT

3,000 BDT

8,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$18

$27

$73

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

3,000 BDT

4,800 BDT

12,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$27

$44

$110

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

4,000 BDT

6,000 BDT

16,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$36

$54

$150

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

4,800 BDT

8,000 BDT

22,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$44

$73

$200

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

9,600 BDT

24,000 BDT

48,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$87

$220

$440

Townhouse monthly rent cost

8,000 BDT

12,000 BDT

34,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$73

$110

$310

House monthly rent cost

9,600 BDT

24,000 BDT

48,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$87

$220

$440

Villa monthly rent cost

12,000 BDT

30,000 BDT

48,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$110

$270

$440

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in St. Martin ranges between 2,000 BDT and 8,000 BDT, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 3,000 BDT to 12,000 BDT. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 4,000 BDT and 16,000 BDT per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 4,800 BDT to 22,000 BDT. The average rent of a townhouse in St. Martin is around 12,000 BDT while house rental costs can be as high as 24,000 BDT per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 12,000 BDT to 48,000 BDT per month.

Apartment and house prices in St. Martin

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

400,000 BDT

600,000 BDT

1.2M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3,600

$5,400

$11,000

1-bedroom apartment price

480,000 BDT

800,000 BDT

3M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$4,400

$7,300

$27,000

2-bedroom apartment price

800,000 BDT

2.4M BDT

4.8M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$7,300

$22,000

$44,000

3-bedroom apartment price

2.7M BDT

4M BDT

12M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$24,000

$36,000

$110,000

Townhouse price

3.4M BDT

8M BDT

30M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$31,000

$73,000

$270,000

House price

4M BDT

24M BDT

34M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$36,000

$220,000

$310,000

Villa price

4.8M BDT

27M BDT

40M BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$44,000

$240,000

$360,000

The average price of a studio apartment in St. Martin can range from 400,000 BDT to 1.2M BDT depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 480,000 BDT to 3M BDT. A villa can cost you 27M BDT on average with prices ranging from 4.8M BDT to 40M BDT.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in St. Martin can be x73 to x172 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x73 multiples of the average monthly salary in St. Martin.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in St. Martin is around 26%. This means that people pay 26% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 17% to 35% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in St. Martin

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in St. Martin

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Individual

140 BDT

1,000 BDT

6,700 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.3

$9.1

$61

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Couple

370 BDT

1,300 BDT

8,200 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.4

$11

$74

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Family

650 BDT

1,900 BDT

12,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$5.9

$17

$110

Internet and cable cost

140 BDT

270 BDT

360 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.2

$2.5

$3.3

Mobile phone bill and charges

110 BDT

180 BDT

540 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.99

$1.6

$4.9

The average monthly expenditure for individuals on electricty, water, and gas in St. Martin ranges between 140 BDT and 6,700 BDT with average being 1,000 BDT, meanwhile the expenditure of couples is slightly higher at 1,300 BDT with 370 BDT and 8,200 BDT being the upper and lower limits respectively. As expected, the energy and water consumption of families is the highest among the three groups with an average of 1,900 BDT. The cost of internet and WiFi is unchanged among the three groups and ranges from 140 BDT to 360 BDT with 270 BDT being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 180 BDT but can range between 110 BDT and 540 BDT depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in St. Martin is around 6.4%. This means that people pay 6.4% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3.7% to 10% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in St. Martin

Prices and cost of goods and services in St. Martin

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

27 BDT

54 BDT

90 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.25

$0.49

$0.82

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in St. Martin is approximatly 54 BDT with meal cost ranging from 27 BDT to 90 BDT. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

85 BDT

130 BDT

250 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.77

$1.2

$2.3

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 85 BDT and 250 BDT with 130 BDT being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in St. Martin.

Fine dining meal for one price

170 BDT

250 BDT

1,000 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.5

$2.3

$9.3

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 170 BDT to 1,000 BDT with the average cost being 250 BDT for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in St. Martin.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

23 BDT

36 BDT

54 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.21

$0.33

$0.49

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in St. Martin is around 36 BDT. Price ranges between 23 BDT and 54 BDT depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

18 BDT

22 BDT

27 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.16

$0.20

$0.25

The average price of a large bottle of milk in St. Martin is 22 BDT. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 27 BDT and the minimum being 18 BDT depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

14 BDT

18 BDT

27 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.12

$0.16

$0.25

A dozen eggs costs around 18 BDT on average with 14 BDT and 27 BDT being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

31 BDT

40 BDT

56 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.28

$0.36

$0.51

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in St. Martin is between 31 BDT and 56 BDT depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 40 BDT.

Pack of beef price

36 BDT

54 BDT

110 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.33

$0.49

$0.99

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 54 BDT. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

15 BDT

20 BDT

28 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.13

$0.18

$0.26

A bag of rice in St. Martin costs around 20 BDT on average with prices rangeing between 15 BDT and 28 BDT depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

5.4 BDT

7.2 BDT

14 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.05

$0.07

$0.12

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 5.4 BDT to 14 BDT. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

9.7 BDT

13 BDT

21 BDT

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.09

$0.12

$0.19

A bag of apples costs 13 BDT on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in St. Martin is around 25%. This means that people spend 25% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 17% to 30% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for every population group

A single person living alone spends approximately 2,700 BDT per month on grocery and food with expenditure fluctuating between 370 BDT and 18,000 BDT depending on location and the type of person. The average cost of food and groceries for a couple is around 3,900 BDT per month. That number can be get as low as 1,300 BDT or a high as 21,000 BDT. Families' spending on grocery ranges from 2,300 BDT to 43,000 BDT with the location, income, and size of the family being the most determinite factors.

SingleSpending habits, consumption analysis, and expenditure patterns for a single person living in St. Martin

CoupleAverage monthly living expenditure breaks and spending patterns for couples in St. Martin

FamilyAverage monthly expenses and break out of spending for families living in St. Martin

StudentCost of living and expenses break down for students living in St. Martin