I shop at Cost U Less each week and they only have milk and eggs about half the time and a pound of apples even less frequently. The stock at the island wholesale stores is inconsistent so if I were visiting I'd stick with buying groceries at a regular market. As a reference point, when they have a gallon of milk at Cost U Less it's priced just under $5 and the expiration date is often remarkably soon.

My mother in law was visiting in February and wanted an apple as a snack after spending the day on the beach. She paid $1.50 for it and left it in her rented vehicle while she was at the beach. When she came back to the vehicle, a Suzuki soft top, there were birds inside and they'd eaten the apple.

I'm sorry I had to laugh at the birds eating the apple. I've gotten a leg of lamb before from Food Center for Christmas day, and I bought it the day before, I unwrap it and the whole bottom was GREEN. Always go to the butcher to have them open expensive meats so you can inspect it. $50 in lamb down the drain.

I tried to get potatoes at Cost U Less last week and literally there were MAGGOTS squiggling around in many of the bags with decomposed potatoes that smelled of rotting flesh.

Each store is hit or miss which is why it takes us 3 stores at a minimum to go shopping for everything.

Starfish Market on St John is going to be the most expensive.

Hands over ears-Na,na,na,na, not listening. Stop it, your scaring me LOL! Green meat and maggoty taters, YUCK! The sacrifices one must make for that view and the warm ocean air I suppose. Trekking to 3 different stores for groceries in exchange for tropical living = Priceless. Now, I'll be sure to check the goods before leaving the store.

I have to chuckle about the apple loving bird too. I'll be sure and keep a close lookout for the lunch stealing birds, donkeys, goats and mongoose is it?

I know what you mean about the lamb. Whenever I visit family in the states and steak is served the discussion inevitably comes around to how red meat is bad for you and in my mind I'm always shouting that it's blue-green meat that's really bad for you.

Yeah the green meat was a bummer. We ended up having tacos. $50 for the lamb out the window. Now I only buy meat from the butcher, and they are pretty good about giving you fresh cuts if you ask for it. I was getting filet mignon once for a catering gig and the cuts were all brown and I said do you have anything out back and he went and cut me a few nice fresh cuts. NEVER buy pre wrapped cuts of meat, or ask them to take it out for you in the store at the butcher dept and they will. You have to look closely. I've bought tomatoes before and the bottoms against the styrofoam tray were rotted out.

But you know what. I wake up every morning with the waves crashing below me as I watch the sun rise over Tortola. I have ZERO complaints.

Hi Lovemycoffee,

Price Smart and Cost-U-Less are only a five minute drive away from each other. If you decide to do some shopping on STT, you could easily visit both stores. As everyone else has already pointed out, both stores are hit or miss. You will probably also need to visit at least one full-fledged grocery store to round out your shopping list. Plaza Extra is just right up the street from Price Smart.

We have had excellent luck with the cost-u-less on STX. We buy most of our meat there and rarely have a problem. we do check expiration dates pretty closely. The produce section is much improved since they moved to their new location.

Hello,

If you click over to our Relocation website, we have a Cost of Living section that includes a grocery list for each island with prices. Its at the bottom of the page so scroll past the rent & utilities tables. Here is the link http://www.vimovingcenter.com/cost_of_living/.

--Islander

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback. Gotta love this board!