St Kitts and Nevis
Profiled in Basseterre · the Caribbean
Basseterre is a sleepy Georgian port town where cruise crowds share The Circus with old rum shops, green volcanic peaks loom behind the rooftops, and the white beaches of the South East Peninsula sit twenty minutes down the road.
Cost of living
What a month costs
Almost everything is imported, so groceries, cars and restaurant meals run high for the region. No personal income tax and cheap local fish and produce take a little of the sting out.
The scores
How it rates for a moving family
See and do
Top 10 in Basseterre
- The Circus and Berkeley MemorialBasseterre's ornate green Victorian clock tower and roundabout, the unmistakable centre of town.
- Independence SquareA palm-lined Georgian square ringed by colonial townhouses, with a dark history as a former market.
- St George's Anglican ChurchA stone church rebuilt several times since the 1600s, its square tower rising over the rooftops.
- Immaculate Conception Co-CathedralThe twin-towered Catholic cathedral on Independence Square, with a fine timber interior.
- Port ZanteThe waterfront cruise pier and shopping village where duty-free stores and bars front the harbour.
- National Museum of St KittsIsland history housed in the old Georgian Treasury Building on the Bay Road waterfront.
- Basseterre Public MarketA lively morning market near the ferry terminal for tropical fruit, fresh fish and local ground provisions.
- Bay Road waterfrontThe seafront strip with the ferry terminal, fishing boats and views across the channel to Nevis.
Where to go
Weekend escapes
- NevisA short ferry across The Narrows to Charlestown, Pinney's Beach and the quiet plantation inns of the sister island.
- Brimstone Hill FortressA UNESCO-listed 17th-century British fort on the northwest coast with huge views over the sea to neighbouring islands.
- Mount LiamuigaA guided climb up the island's dormant volcano through rainforest to a crater rim above 1,100 metres.
- South East PeninsulaThe strip of pale-sand bays like Cockleshell, Majors and Frigate, plus beach bars, half an hour from town.
- St Kitts Scenic RailwayA restored narrow-gauge sugar train that loops the north coast past old estates in a couple of hours.
Coffee
Best cafes
- Ballahoo RestaurantA landmark all-day spot overlooking The Circus, good for coffee, juices and light Caribbean bites while you watch the town go by.
Restaurants
Where to eat
- El Fredo'sA no-frills local favourite on the Bay Road for Creole plates like goat water, saltfish and grilled snapper.
- Serendipity RestaurantUpmarket dining in a colonial house on Wigley Avenue with a terrace looking over the bay.
- Fisherman's WharfA long-running waterfront seafood spot at Ocean Terrace Inn, known for grilled catch and conch.
- Marshall's RestaurantRefined poolside fine dining at Horizons in Frigate Bay, a short drive from the centre.
- Spice Mill RestaurantA stylish beachfront restaurant on Cockleshell Bay out on the South East Peninsula.
- Reggae Beach Bar and GrillThe island's best-known beach bar on Cockleshell Bay, all lobster, rum and sea views.
Morning
Best breakfast
- Ocean Terrace InnThe hillside hotel above town serves a reliable sit-down breakfast with a view over the harbour.
Residency
St Kitts and Nevis runs the world's oldest citizenship by investment programme, open since 1984, with a route via a government contribution from around US$250,000 or an approved real estate purchase. There is no requirement to live on the island or even visit before citizenship is granted.
Tax
There is no personal income tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax for individuals, which is the main draw for wealthy movers. The government instead raises revenue through VAT, import duties and corporate tax.
Curious what you would actually pay? See the St Kitts and Nevis tax profile: income, corporate, VAT and exit rules →
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