Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
Saba is the most expensive island in the Caribbean Netherlands, according to a recent study by Statistics Netherlands CBS, which compares the relative prices of consumer goods of St. Eustatius and Saba to those of Bonaire. The study found that life on both Saba and St. Eustatius is becoming increasingly more expensive compared to Bonaire.
CBS studied the prices of consumer goods on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba in 2023. The data show that consumer goods on Saba are 18 percent more expensive than on Bonaire. On St. Eustatius consumer prices are 11 percent higher than on Bonaire.
Saba was also the most expensive island in the Caribbean Netherlands in 2015, but the gap has become wider. In 2015, consumer goods on Saba were 10 percent higher than on Bonaire and consumer prices on St. Eustatius were 7 percent higher than on Bonaire. In 2013, Saba was 8 percent more expensive than Bonaire and St. Eustatius was only 2 percent more expensive.
CBS investigated the prices of food items and nonalcoholic drinks; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothes and shoes; home repair/maintenance, water and electricity; furniture, appliances and daily home maintenance; health products; transportation; communication; recreation/culture; education; catering; and other products/ services.
On Saba, the prices of food items and non-alcoholic beverages have increased most: from 9 percent more expensive than on Bonaire in 2015 to 29 percent higher than on Bonaire in 2023. For St. Eustatius, the cost affiliated with transportation has increased most: from 5 percent more expensive than on Bonaire in 2015 to 21 percent more in 2023.
Home maintenance and repair, water and electricity are found to be much more expensive on both Saba and St. Eustatius. On Saba, the prices in this category are 65 percent higher than on Bonaire; and 45 percent higher on St. Eustatius. The cost of food and drink items is 29 percent higher on Saba than on Bonaire; and 12 percent on St. Eustatius.
People on Saba also pay more for communication: 6 percent more than people in both Bonaire and St. Eustatius.
Transportation goods are most expensive on St. Eustatius: 21 percent more than on Bonaire and 8 percent more than on Saba. On Saba, people pay 13 percent more for transportation than they would on Bonaire.
But not every item is cheaper on Bonaire, CBS finds. The people on Saba and St. Eustatius pay less for alcoholic beverages and tobacco than they would on Bonaire: these products are 31 percent cheaper on St. Eustatius and cost 19 per cent less on Saba.
Health products are cheapest on St. Eustatius: 19 percent less than on Bonaire. On Saba, people pay 8 percent more than on Bonaire.
On St. Eustatius, recreation and culture goods are 5 percent cheaper than on Bonaire. On Saba, these goods cost the same as on Bonaire.
The average cost of clothes/ shoes and education was the same on all three islands. The price index of furniture, appliances and daily home maintenance is also about the same in the Caribbean Netherlands: 2 percent higher on Saba compared to Bonaire and 1 percent less than Bonaire on St. Eustatius.
The price of food and drinks in the catering sector are also similar. It is 2 percent more expensive to eat or drink in a bar or restaurant on St. Eustatius than it is on Bonaire; and just 1 percent more expensive on Saba compared to Bonaire.
The Daily Herald.
Saba most Expensive Island in the Caribbean Island, this is where the Johnson-Zagers WIPM Party has got Saba! I wonder how long it will take for people on Saba to open their eyes and put New people in Power! Time is clicking and a lot of people are being affected. Teachers being laid of unexpectedly, Lack of Transparency, Nepotism, Dictatorship, Suppressing of the Press and Public Opinions and obviously no significant help and relief for the people who actually need it! The Government disaster on Saba is bigger than I actually thought, may almighty God help us All!
“All we say to Saba’s Leaders is to be true to what you said on paper… Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the Freedom of Press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of Saba is the right to protest for rights and to demand what Saba needs from the Executive Council!
Cris Hassell