Grand Cayman Cost of Living
Six live data tools tracking the cost of living in the Cayman Islands, updated daily: rent by district, grocery prices at Foster's vs Hurley's, fuel at every station, CUC electricity rates, health insurance premiums, and a take-home salary calculator.
Cayman Islands Cost of Living and Travel — Current Data from Daily.ky
Daily.ky aggregates and publishes daily-updated public data for the Cayman Islands. All currency is in CI$ (Cayman Islands Dollar) unless noted. The fixed bank conversion rate is CI$0.82 per US$1.00.
Grocery Prices in Grand Cayman
Daily.ky tracks grocery prices at Foster's and Hurley's, the two major supermarkets in Grand Cayman, using two basket methodologies updated daily.
Branded basket (10 identical products): Foster's total CI$72.80, Hurley's total CI$76.40. Foster's is 4.7% cheaper on branded items.
Numbeo-aligned basket (15 weekly groceries): Foster's total CI$48.35, Hurley's total CI$53.25. Foster's is 9.2% cheaper on basic groceries.
Kirk Market is excluded because they do not publish online prices.
Gasoline and Fuel Prices in Grand Cayman
Daily.ky tracks fuel prices at all 22 gas stations across Grand Cayman using official OfReg data. Prices are in CI$ per Imperial Gallon.
Island-wide averages (self-serve): regular gasoline CI$5.52/gallon, premium CI$5.96/gallon, diesel CI$5.76/gallon.
Cheapest regular self-serve: CI$5.17/gallon at REFUEL (SMB). Most expensive: CI$5.70/gallon at WOODY'S.
Three fuel providers operate on the island: Esso, Rubis, and Refuel.
Long-Term Rent in Grand Cayman
The Daily.ky Long Term Rental Price Index tracks median monthly rents in CI$ across Grand Cayman by district and bedroom count. Listings are aggregated daily from eCayTrade and CIREBA.
Districts tracked: George Town, Seven Mile Beach, West Bay, Bodden Town, Savannah, Prospect, Red Bay, South Sound, North Side, East End. Typical ranges: studios approximately CI$950–1,400/month, one-bedrooms CI$1,400–2,200/month on Seven Mile Beach and CI$1,100–1,600/month elsewhere, two-bedrooms CI$1,800–3,500/month, three-bedrooms CI$2,500–6,000+/month depending on district. Seven Mile Beach is consistently the most expensive area; East End and North Side are the cheapest.
Salary, Take-Home Pay, and Rent Affordability
The Cayman Islands has no income tax. The only mandatory employee deduction is pension at 5% of gross salary. The Daily.ky salary calculator uses a 25% rent-to-income ceiling — lower than the typical 30% benchmark — to account for Cayman's high cost of groceries, utilities, and insurance.
USD salaries are converted at the fixed bank rate of CI$0.82 per US$1.00. The retail/store rate is CI$0.80 per US$1.00.
Electricity Costs in Grand Cayman (CUC)
Electricity in Grand Cayman is provided by CUC (Caribbean Utilities Company) and generated primarily from diesel, making it significantly more expensive than most North American and European cities.
Current residential rates: energy charge CI$0.1387/kWh, fuel cost charge CI$0.1800/kWh (2026-07), fuel duty CI$0.0132/kWh, renewables surcharge CI$0.0066/kWh, regulatory fee CI$0.0076/kWh, facility charge CI$6.96/month fixed. The all-in variable rate is approximately CI$0.3461/kWh. The fuel cost charge is held at CI$0.18/kWh by the government summer relief cap through 30 September 2026; the uncapped charge would be CI$0.2257/kWh.
Typical monthly consumption ranges (minimal to heavy A/C): studio 450–810 kWh, 1-bedroom 650–1,170 kWh, 2-bedroom 870–1,560 kWh, 3-bedroom 1,200–2,160 kWh, 4-bedroom+ 1,650–2,970 kWh. Air conditioning accounts for 50–75% of household consumption. Summer bills (July–September) run 15–25% higher.
Health Insurance in the Cayman Islands
Health insurance is mandatory for all Cayman Islands residents under the Health Insurance Act (2021 Revision). The minimum coverage is SHIC (Standard Health Insurance Contract).
SHIC market rates (verified by Health Insurance Commission FOI April 2026): single-employee monthly premiums range from CI$124 (CINICO age 18–39) to CI$167 (regulated ceiling, age 50+). 7 insurers are approved in the Cayman Islands. Enhanced plans range CI$200–650/month, mid-level CI$300–1,100/month, comprehensive CI$650–2,500/month. Every person is priced individually by age and health risk; there are no flat family tiers under SHIC.
Employers must cover at least 50% of the employee's own SHIC premium. Dependent premiums are typically 100% employee-paid.
Taxi Fares in Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman taxi fares are regulated by the government under SL 29 of 2019. Base fare is CI$5.60 / US$7.00 for up to 4 passengers. Each additional 0.2-mile increment costs CI$0.80 / US$1.00. Extra passengers beyond 4 cost CI$5.60 / US$7.00 each. Luggage beyond 2 pieces costs CI$1.00 / US$1.25 each. Waiting time beyond 2 minutes costs CI$0.80 / US$1.00 per minute.
Sample fares: Cruise Port to Seven Mile Beach approximately CI$20 / US$25. Airport to Ritz-Carlton approximately CI$26 / US$33. Airport to Rum Point approximately CI$102 / US$127. Cruise Port to Cayman Turtle Centre approximately CI$38 / US$47.
Rental Cars in Grand Cayman
Daily.ky tracks rental car prices daily across 14 companies operating in Grand Cayman, including local operators and major international brands. All prices are in USD for 7-day airport rentals.
Economy cars (Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10 or similar): typically $35–85/day depending on season and booking lead time. Compact cars (Kia Rio, Hyundai i20): $45–90/day. Midsize sedans: $50–95/day. SUVs range from $60/day for compact SUVs to $250+/day for full-size SUVs.
Booking 30 days in advance saves approximately 30% compared to last-minute (3-day notice) bookings. During high season (December–April), economy cars frequently sell out at multiple companies for short-notice rentals.
Most rental car companies operate from Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM). Some offer hotel delivery on Seven Mile Beach.
Direct Flights to Grand Cayman (GCM)
Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) in Grand Cayman is served by 11 airlines with 30 direct routes from cities in the US, Canada, and the UK — 14 year-round and 16 seasonal.
Airlines: Cayman Airways, American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet, Porter Airlines, British Airways.
Year-round US routes include: Miami, New York, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Houston, Washington Dulles, Newark, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Tampa.
Seasonal routes (typically Nov–Apr or Mar–Aug): Chicago O'Hare, Minneapolis, Detroit, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore, Orlando, Denver, Austin, Toronto, Ottawa, London Heathrow.
News Sources
Daily.ky aggregates news from Cayman Compass, Cayman News Service (CNS Local Life), Cayman Marl Road, and Cayman Independent. Government press releases from gov.ky and police news from RCIPS are also included. Multimedia content is sourced from Radio Cayman, Compass Media, and Linkup podcast YouTube channels.
Cruise Ship Traffic
Daily.ky tracks cruise ship arrivals at George Town (Grand Cayman's tender port) with daily passenger counts and a 7-day forecast, sourced from the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands. There are no piers — all passengers tender to shore.
Weather and Hurricanes
The Cayman Islands National Weather Service (weather.gov.ky) is the official source for local forecasts. The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30; Daily.ky's hurricane tracker pulls real-time data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and assesses threat to the Cayman Islands. Sargassum inundation outlook is from NOAA.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cayman Islands
What is the cost of living in the Cayman Islands?
Daily.ky publishes daily-updated cost-of-living data: a grocery price index comparing Foster's and Hurley's, a Long-Term Rental Price Index, a salary calculator with rent affordability, a CUC electricity bill estimator, fuel prices at every station, taxi fare calculator, and SHIC health insurance rates.
How much do groceries cost in the Cayman Islands?
Daily.ky tracks grocery prices daily at Foster's and Hurley's using two baskets: a 10-product branded comparison and a 15-item Numbeo-aligned weekly basket. Foster's is typically 5–10% cheaper. Kirk Market is excluded because they do not publish online prices.
Is Foster's or Hurley's cheaper in Grand Cayman?
Daily.ky compares 10 identical branded products and 15 staple items across both stores daily. Foster's tends to be cheaper on branded basics; visit the Grocery Price Index for current basket totals and per-item pricing.
How much is rent in Grand Cayman?
The Daily.ky Long-Term Rental Price Index tracks median rents across Grand Cayman by district and bedroom count, aggregated daily from eCayTrade and CIREBA. Studios start around CI$950–1,400, one-bedrooms CI$1,100–2,700 (island-wide median about CI$1,800), two-bedrooms CI$1,800–3,500. Seven Mile Beach is consistently the most expensive area.
What is the average salary in the Cayman Islands and how far does it go?
Use the Salary and Rent Affordability Calculator on daily.ky to enter any salary in KYD or USD. The Cayman Islands has no income tax. Pension is a mandatory 5% employee deduction. The calculator uses a 25% rent ceiling, lower than the typical 30%, to reflect Cayman's higher grocery, utility, and insurance costs.
How much does gasoline cost in Grand Cayman?
Daily.ky tracks fuel prices daily at all Grand Cayman stations using official OfReg data. Prices are in CI$ per Imperial Gallon. Regular gasoline recently averaged about CI$5.50/gallon island-wide on self-serve, with diesel near CI$5.75 and premium near CI$5.95. Prices move with each OfReg update, so check /gas-prices for the current figures.
How much does electricity cost in Grand Cayman?
Electricity in Grand Cayman is provided by CUC (Caribbean Utilities Company) and costs approximately CI$0.35/kWh all-in, after a government cap holding the fuel charge at CI$0.18/kWh through September 2026. A typical 2-bedroom home with moderate A/C uses about 1,150 kWh/month, resulting in a bill of roughly CI$405/month. The fuel cost charge updates monthly. Use the Electricity Bill Estimator on daily.ky to calculate by home size and A/C usage.
How much does health insurance cost in the Cayman Islands?
Health insurance is mandatory under the Health Insurance Act (2021 Revision). Minimum SHIC premiums (FOI-verified April 2026) range from CI$124/month for ages 18–39 (CINICO) to CI$167/month for ages 50+. Enhanced plans run CI$200–650, mid-level CI$300–1,100, comprehensive CI$650–2,500/month. Every person is priced individually by age, with no family tiers. Employers cover at least 50% of the employee's own SHIC premium.