Is Antigua Expensive? An Ultimate Guide By A Local
Is Antigua expensive?
We’ve spent the last 3 winters living in Antigua as Carl works as a yacht captain and the boat is based there. As part of living here, we have a good understanding of basic costs such as food and accommodation.
We have done a variety of activities so we know which are more pricey and how to save money. We’ve had the chance to eat at some of the best restaurants in Antigua. We also like to eat at local spots too so we know how to live on a budget in Antigua.
Yes, it can be expensive. However, using our local knowledge we believe that you can visit Antigua on a smaller budget if you carefully plan your stay.
Is Antigua Expensive To Visit?
Yes, Antigua can be very expensive.
However, we always think that this can be quite a subjective question without something to compare it to. It really depends on what you are used to spending at home. If you’re living somewhere such as Switzerland which has high costs then you might decide that Antigua is comparatively cheap.
As we’re from Southampton in England, I’ll use this as a starting point for a comparison. I’ll revert back a few times on the costs of things and take the UK as a point of reflection.
We’d say that Antigua is, in some ways, on par with the costs of the UK. However, there are some items, mainly imported, that will really shock you. We’ll get to those later on in the post.
Is Accommodation Expensive in Antigua?
Again, this is very subjective and very much depends on what your expectations and budget are. There are some stunning luxury hotels here in Antigua which will of course be more expensive. A simple room rental through AirBnB will be less expensive that a luxury hotel.
There is a big difference in accommodation prices depending on the time of year that you visit. High season runs December to April. If you visit in low season then you’ll find accommodation can be a lot cheaper.
Hotels
Wow, if you’re looking for luxury then Antigua has some of the most beautiful hotels in the Caribbean. We’ve been fortunate enough to have day passes to some of them such as Blue Waters Resort in the north. And Carlisle Bay Resort in the south. We love checking them out when we’re in Antigua.
A good starting point is that if you want to come in peak season outside of Christmas then it’s about US$2,200/£1,700 all inclusive for a week for two people. This was the price for Hawksbill Beach Resort that I found for January 2023. The same week at Carlisle Bay Resort would be US$8,300/£6,500.
These are hotel resorts with prime locations on beautiful beaches. As they’re all-inclusive you could just stay enjoying the resort all week without any extra costs. Having posh hotels doesn’t necessarily make Antigua expensive.
If you’re happy to stay a little further away from the action and have a rental car then you could stay further inland for less. There are hotel rooms for the same week that are not all-inclusive, starting from US$630/£500. In this case, you’d need to factor in the cost of car rental to get to the beaches.
Airbnb
When we travel we tend to always take an apartment or small house. We do this because they come with cooking facilities which means that we can eat in, which saves us money spent on eating out.
In Antigua, you’re likely to spend a similar amount on an apartment as you are on a cheaper hotel, around US$630/£500 per week. The bonus is that you’ll have the kitchen space for cooking in some evenings or for making lunches. This can make Antigua feel relatively less expensive.
We also prefer apartments as it means we have a separate living area. It means that when we put the boys to sleep we can stay up without having to tiptoe around sleeping kids.
Local rental
We live in Antigua for part of the year. We are only in Antigua for 4 months. This means that we have to use holiday rentals as we’re not here long enough for proper long-term rentals which really start at 6 months minimum rental.
We’ve found that the best thing to do is to look for somewhere on Airbnb and then once we arrive in Antigua we speak to the owner direct. They’ll often do a much better deal outside of the booking platform (sorry AirBnb!). Our monthly rent in English Harbour is 50% less than the full rate advertised online.
The other option is to join a local Facebook group and put a shout-out on there to see if someone is renting out their property. There are ones for English Harbour and Jolly Harbour that we know of.
Is Transport Expensive in Antigua?
The least expensive option in Antigua would be to take the public buses. Whilst Antigua does have a public transport system you would waste a lot of time switching between bus routes to navigate the island.
Most visitors don’t use the public buses to travel around the island.
A second option is to use taxis. However, they can be expensive in Antigua. For example, a fare from St John’s to English Harbour would cost you US$24/£ for up to four people. So a return far would cost you US$48/£.
Depending on where you are going, you might then need to ask the driver to wait if you want to stop off and enjoy attractions or beaches. This could make it expensive if you use them regularly to explore the island.
The third option is to rent a car. Rental cars in Antigua can be expensive, especially for a short one-day rental. If you’re looking to rent for a week or more then you’ll save 50% on the full rate. This can help reduce the costs for you.
To give you an idea, car rental in Antigua varies between US$55 per day for a small car to US$100 per day for a jeep – with insurance. However, if there are a few of you sharing the costs then it actually can be a really cost-effective way to explore rather than paying tour prices.
Is Food Expensive In Antigua?
Yes, it most definitely feels expensive to buy food and drinks in Antigua. This is where we as a family, really notice that Antigua is expensive.
Being an island, you’ll find that most of the food and drinks are imported. And the cost of this is added to the price that the end customer (you) pays.
We thought it might be helpful to give some comparative costs. We’ve put together a table using our shop in Antigua compared to Tesco in the UK for 6 items that we regularly buy.
| Product | UK | Antigua |
| 58 size 2 nappies | £2.18 / US$2.76 | £28.59 / US$36.25 |
| 1kg spaghetti | £1.39 / US$1.76 | £2.00 / US$2.60 |
| 500g pasta sauce | £0.95 / US$1.20 | £6.00 / US$7.70 |
| 300g chicken breast | £3.70 / US$4.70 | £1.30 / US$1.66 |
| 5 litres water | £1.45 / US$1.83 | £1.90 / US$2.40 |
| 1kg bananas | £0.90 / US$1.14 | £0.52 / US$0.66 |
| Total costs | £10.57 / US$12.69 | £40.31 / US$51.27 |
Overall the cost of food and drink is more expensive. For us, the cost of nappies is where the expense is. To combat this we tend to bring the nappies we need out with us in our luggage.
An interesting fact that we thought we’d share is that childcare is a lot less expensive in Antigua than it is in the UK. Our 3-year-old attends a pre-school in Antigua which costs £15 per day. In the UK the equivalent costs us £60 per day.
Our local friends joke that rum, cigarettes and childcare are relatively less expensive in Antigua than in the UK. But we warned that too much of the rum can cause you to need childcare later down the line, haha!
Is Eating Out Expensive In Antigua?
This really, is a bit like accommodation pricing, depends on where you go.
A chicken burger in Banana Wharf, our local restaurant in Hamble, with river views costs US$21/£16.50. Our local restaurant Loose Cannon Beach Bar on Galleon Beach in Antigua costs us US$20/£16. So there isn’t that much difference in price.
If you eat at local restaurants such as Mama’s Kitchen which is on the road out of English Harbour then the chicken burger would cost you just £5.
There are a lot of luxury restaurants in Antigua and if you visit these then the cost of your meal can soar. For example, visiting Sheer Rocks costs us about US$95/$£75 per person for three courses without drinks.
If you shop around then eating out doesn’t have to be expensive in Antigua.
Are Activities Expensive In Antigua?
Depending on the activity then yes, we do think that activities can be expensive. And of course, the more you do the more you spend.
For example, Stingray City costs US$50/£40 per person. If you are a family of four then you’ll be spending US$200/£160, which can start to feel expensive.
Boat trips around the island including snorkel equipment and lunch can start from US$100/£78 all the way up to US$190/£150 and beyond. The more expensive ones tend to include better food options and more drinks.
However, if you’re keeping to a budget there is plenty in Antigua to keep you busy without it needing to be expensive. With 365 beaches to choose from, you could rent a car and try to see as many of them as possible. Visiting the Antigua Donkey Sanctuary is also a cheaper activity, as you pay a donation it really depends on how much you can afford to donate.
Or you could visit free attractions such as Devil’s Bridge.
How Much To Budget When You Visit Antigua?
We’re always very cautious when it comes to recommending a specific budget, as it really does depend on what you can afford to spend.
However, as a point of reference, we would say that you could spend around US$100/£ per day per person (outside of your flight and accommodation costs) and have a very good time. That could include a couple of paid-for activities and a meal out each day if you eat at the cheaper end of the range.
If you start to add in a couple of larger nights out (rum is cheap, but other spirits and wine can be expensive), then you’ll start to spend more.
FAQs
What is the currency in Antigua?
Antigua and Barbuda use the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, or EC as it is known for short. There is about 3.4XCD to £1. Or 2.70 CXD to US$1.
You can spend US dollars in most shops and restaurants if you don’t have EC available. It can be a little frustrating as sometimes the ATMs run out of cash.
You can pay by card in most places.
When is the best time of year to visit Antigua?
December to April are to be the best months to visit Antigua. These months tend to be the drier months on the island so you’re less likely to see rain showers and it’s still beautifully sunny.
Is Antigua safe to visit?
Most definitely! It’s one of the safest islands in the Caribbean and we’ve never had any issues living here for the past 3 winters.
Final Thoughts On Is Antigua Expensive?
Is Antigua expensive? Yes and no, as it really does depend on how you like to travel and what you like to spend your money on.
If you have a smaller budget then it’s totally possible to visit Antigua, you just need to be a little conscious of where you choose to spend your money. And also, what you need to spend it on and look for less pricey options.
On a final note: if you have very young kids then you should most definitely bring nappies with you!
