Air Caraibes Airbus A330-323X
Air France Airbus A340-200 (F-GLZJ) on short finals at Princess…
A picture of the statue of Dr. Claude Wathey in front of the go…
The painting depicts the expulsion of the Dutch soldiers from t…
Taken by en:User:AndonicO, from the en:Water taxi in Saint Maar…
RoRo commercial freighter, M/S MIMER - IMO 9002647, in CMA-CGM …

Sint Maarten

N/A
Climate
ANG
Currency
Moderate
Safety
N/A
Cost of Living
English
Language
Country Information Sint Maarten

Sint Maarten is a unique Caribbean island that represents a fascinating example of international territorial division, being split between two sovereign nations: the Dutch Sint Maarten and the French Saint-Martin. Located in the northeastern Caribbea...

Cost of Living
Rent
$2,300Apartment (1 bedroom) in City…
Meal
$17.50Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant
Groceries
$3.50Milk (regular), (1 liter)
Transport
$2.13One-way Ticket (Local Transpo…
Read the full cost-of-living guide

Your Sint Maarten Roadmap

40+ page relocation analysis tailored to your profile.

  • Custom Tax & Cost Projection
  • District Matching for your Lifestyle
  • Vetted Local Partner Directory

With a safety index of 65/100, Sint Maarten offers good safety conditions for expats and their families.

Entry Requirements & Visa Options

Sint Maarten (Dutch side of Saint Martin) offers visa-free entry for citizens of over 90 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and most EU nations, for tourism, business, or short-term visits up to 180 days (6 months) with a possibility of extension through Immigration and Border Protection (IBP). Travelers must possess a valid passport for the duration of stay, a return or onward ticket, and proof of sufficient funds or accommodation. Since October 18, 2024, all arrivals—including...

Visa-free entry: 180 days
Digital Nomad Visa available
Work permits available
Retirement visa options
Read full guide

Discover Cities in Sint Maarten

Create your free profile to see personalized match scores.

Location Intelligence for Sint Maarten
Safety64.6

Near EU average

Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.

Capital

Philipsburg

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Area

34 km²

Population

40,812

Economic Overview in Sint Maarten

GDP

$1.57B

HDI

N/A

Quality of Life

N/A

NYC baseline: 43

Purchasing Power

N/A

NYC baseline: 42

Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Sint Maarten. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.

Comparison data legendCompare:
Sint Maarten
Continent Avg

Cost of Living Index

Affordable

Expensive living costs with Rent Index: 82.0, Groceries Index: 88.1, Restaurant Price Index: 67.4. Inflation stable at 1.09% over first 9 months of 2025 vs 2024, but transport up 5.43% YoY.[6]

Housing Market

Very Poor

Property Price to Income Ratio: 20.6 years indicates very expensive housing market. Rent Index: 82.0 shows high rental costs with housing/utilities down 0.53% in Q3 2025.[6]

Average Income Levels

Moderate

GDP per capita $40,028 USD in 2024 (PPP $52,085), suggesting moderate purchasing power amid N/A index. Labor market recovering slowly with formal employment below pre-pandemic levels.[2][3]

Tax System

Excellent

No direct income tax for residents; wage tax progressive 18.5-39.8% up to ANG 205,000 with caps. Sales tax (BBL) 5-15%, property tax low at 0.4%; favorable and clear for expats.

Business Environment

Good

Tourism-driven growth at 3.3% in 2024, projected 2.8% in 2025, 2.4% in 2026; construction and real estate expanding but permitting delays hinder investment. No World Bank ranking; open economy aids recovery.[2][7]

Social Security

Moderate

Social security via SVB covers pensions, healthcare, and benefits; universal coverage but quality moderate with slow labor recovery. Limited unemployment benefits in tourism-reliant economy.[2][2]

Work & Business in Sint Maarten
Business ClimateSee full guide for details
Work PermitsRequirements vary by nationality
Key IndustriesExplore opportunities
Read full guide
Education SystemInternational schools, universities & curricula
Explore Guide
Climate

Sint Maarten, a small Caribbean island of about 34 km², features a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) with warm temperatures year-round, high humidity, and a distinct wet season from October to January. Average highs range from 29-31°C, with minimal seasonal variation, making it ideal for beach living but prone to hurricanes and heavy rains during wet months.

Climate
Tropical monsoon
Summer
27–31°C
Winter
24–29°C
Sunshine
2900+ hrs/yr
Read full guide
Demographics in Sint Maarten

Life Expectancy

73.1

Population

40,812

Religions

Christianity (Protestant)
41.9%
Christianity (Catholic)
33.1%
Christianity (Pentecostal)
14.7%
Christianity (Methodist)
10%
Non-religious
7.9%

Ethnic Composition

note: population by nationality
N/A
Sint Maarten 29.9%
N/A
Dominican Republic 10.2%
N/A
Haiti 7.8%
N/A
Jamaica 6.6%
N/A
What Expats Say About Sint MaartenBETA

Research in Progress

We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Sint Maarten. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!

We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.

Transportation & Infrastructure in Sint Maarten
Public TransitAvailable in major cities
AirportsInternational connectivity
InfrastructureRoad & rail networks
Read full guide
Social Integration in Sint Maarten
Expat CommunityActive communities available
Cultural IntegrationTips & resources
Language BarrierSee guide for details
Read full guide
Retirement & Benefits in Sint Maarten
Retirement VisaCheck eligibility
Healthcare AccessPublic & private options
Pension RecognitionSee guide for details
Read full guide
Political Landscape & Stability

Sint Maarten operates as a parliamentary democracy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with King Willem-Alexander as head of state represented by Governor Ajamu Baly. Prime Minister Luc Mercelina leads the Cabinet Mercelina II coalition government formed in November 2024 after the January 2024 elections. The unicameral Parliament with 15 seats oversees a multi-party system amid ongoing post-hurricane recovery and governance reforms.

System
Parliamentary representative democratic republic
Legal System
Civil law system based on Dutch law
Read full guide
Environment & Sustainability in Sint Maarten
Air QualitySee detailed assessment
Green SpacesParks & nature areas
SustainabilityEnvironmental policies
Read full guide
Sint Maarten flag
Sint Maarten at a Glance

Languages

English, French, Dutch

UN Member

No

Quick Facts for Sint Maarten

Population

40,812

Currency

ANG

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Calling Code

+1721

Week starts on

Monday

Gini Coefficient

N/A

Traffic side

right side

Location

Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.

All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.