It depends on timing and what you want. Sometimes prices are cheaper, and sometimes they aren't regardless of the store. Unless you have access to a Stateside Sunday paper with all the sale inserts, it's kind of hard to determine if it's actually cheaper here, because some of those sales are only available in-store. I always check prices online before buying, and then make my decision.

Things cost anywhere from 25% to 200 percent more in STT. We spend about three months a year back in NJ. (Gas here is 2.90 for example). Apple juice is 3.95 in STT it is 2.00 in NJ. The list goes on and on. The merchants are really screwing the people in STT.

Some things are cheaper, but very few. Cheese and butter are a few.

biid

Here's what I do when I know what I want to shop for: Go online and look up prices from internet dealers as well as the home sites of the retailers (radio shack, best buy, etc). That gives you your basis for deciding if STT is a good deal or if you should just buy at home. From what I've heard, jewelry can be an attactive buy (as long as bought from a reputable vendor) but electronics tend to be very similar to US prices. Your search will give you your final answer!

Good Luck! Have Fun!

Yeah but on some things such as high end watches and jewelry and stuff, these items can't be bought on the internet. Most high end names only sell through authorized retailers. Tag Heuer, Ebel, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe, John Hardy, David Yurman, Penny Preville, Gucci, Rolex, Bulgari, Michelle, Breitling, etc. ALL of the above listed do NOT sell over the internet. If you find these items on an internet site, they are going to be seconds, fakes, or of dubious origin and you're not going to get your warranty honored by these companies if you buy these names on the net.

As for things like groceries and gas, well of course these items are going to be higher here than in the states.

Electronics are negotiable depending on what they are and where you buy, musical instruments are WAY HIGHER here. Clothes, well clothes are clothes, but they ARE slightly higher here than back in the US as far as dress clothes go anyway, ie: suits and dress shirts, ties, and the such.

Jewelry, watches and liquor are the big savings here......................

Absolutely correct Dylan!

I was responding specifically to the question. West says she/he already knows what they want: the nikon digital rebel system. I don't know much about cameras, but I"m sure the internet will give a great basis for shopping. Then when in St. Thomas, shopping will be more effective - and fun.

billd you need to remember we need to have everything shipped here and thats the biggest reason groceries and stuff like that costs more, in the states you have millions of people there to spread that cost on here you don't, hence probally the biggest reason we have such high wapa bills each island produces it's own electricity and theres not that many rate payers to spread the cost over. premium gas here on stx today is 289 at lionels by the avis, i don't think groceries here on STX are expensive, the only thing i think is expensive here is wapa other than that the prices to me are similar to any other metro area i've lived in and we try to make up for the cost of wapa by hauling our own garbage instead of using a service and we have a well so water is not an issue, i have several different types of fruit trees so theres always something fresh to eat. the original was are the duty free shops here cheap because there is no tax or does the cost of the duty make of for any savings, i'm not a jewelry kinda guy so i have no idea how much that kind of stuff should cost, i see on stt diamonds international has the 2 stores on main one for jewlry and the other for electronics

The allure is not only that things MAY be cheaper, but that they are imported and you are getting, for instance, French perfume bottled in France rather than the USA.

Over the years, I have come to realize that the speciality market is probably more important on STT that simply getting normal things cheaper than on the mainland. There are some things that you cannot get stateside without much trouble (certain fragrances, crystal and china, etc).

You can check advertised prices in newspapers anywhere in the US to compare to STT prices at www.salescircular.com.

I truly understand this having been coming down to STT for over 25 years now. But I still feel that the store owners are getting rich on the people. Take a look at the mansion that the Plaza Extra owner has on top of Skyline drive. This place is so big I thought it was a hotel. I realize that you need to pay something extra to get it here. But look at gas. You have the biggest refinery in the southern hemesphire in STX. The add to the price of gas should be only the expense to get it from STX to STT. It is simply too much. And the governemnt will not do anything about it as this is a political thing. And watch out on what the waste management side will do. They will get some sort of global increase that will effect every person.

On the other hand real estate taxes are lower here than in most of the Northeast.

But here is how I net it out for STT:

Taxes is a plus
Utilities are a minus
food is a minus
clothing is a plus
weather is a plus
medical support is a negative
job market is a plus
stress is a plus
public education is a minus
private education is a plus

Net net STT is BIG PLUS!!!

Bill

i paid 327 for premium here on STX today at the lareine service station, as far as Hovensa, why should they do anymore for our community than they already do, wapa gets huge discounts on their oil for our power, free speech today was morgan and steffen larsen and a lady spin doctor from wapa, i remember when past senators were always after hovensa for money and always trying to sue them for this or that and ol chucky was in the lead with that fingnailed hand of hers out the longest, so other than alots of jobs and cheap oil for wapa what exactly does hovensa owe this community, the other point is why do the rate payers on stx have to pay for all the wasted lighting on STT, if you remember the cost of electricity is the same for all of the islands here, but it's cheaper to produce power here on stx than it is on stt so why then is the cost not split on on an island basis instead of a territory basis, why do i need to pay for the lights at havensight,crown bay and yatch haven?