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- By Wei Landgraf
$3K, $5K, $10K Monthly Retirement Budgets in Sint Maarten (2026)
Three real budget scenarios, line by line. These aren’t averages. They’re specific snapshots of three couples I’ve worked with, anonymized, with numbers verified for May 2026 conditions.
Use these as templates, not gospel. Adjust for your own neighborhood, lifestyle, and health profile.
Key Takeaways
- $3,000/month is achievable but tight. You're probably renting, frugal on food, one car, and self-insuring some healthcare risk.
- $5,000/month is the comfortable middle for an owning-outright couple. Most of my clients live here.
- $10,000/month is premium. Large home or villa, full service stack, no financial constraints.
- All three assume owning property outright at the relevant tier. Add $1,500–$3,000/month for mortgage or rent.
- All three include the hurricane reserve. The line that often gets cut, and shouldn't.
Couple A. The Frugal $3,000/month
The setup
- Both 68. Retired schoolteachers from upstate New York.
- Sold their NY home, bought a 1-bedroom condo in Cole Bay outright for $185K.
- No mortgage. Penshonado not relevant (income mostly Social Security, low absolute level).
- Mostly Social Security + small pension + modest IRA distributions.
- One paid-off used Honda CR-V.
- Healthy at present.
The monthly
| LINE | $ | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| HOA + property maintenance | $250 | Older Cole Bay condo, basic HOA |
| Power (GEBE) | $180 | One unit AC at night, fans during day |
| Water | $40 | Conservative use |
| Internet + phone | $90 | Mid-tier fiber, basic phone plans |
| Property insurance | $130 | Spread monthly; annual ~$1,560 |
| Groceries | $600 | Carrefour weekly, French side biweekly for vegetables |
| Dining out | $150 | One nice dinner every two weeks plus lolo lunches |
| Healthcare premiums (Medicare Part B kept + SZV + medevac) | $280 | $185 Part B + $80 SZV + $15 medevac |
| Out-of-pocket healthcare | $80 | Average; lumpy in reality |
| Car (gas, insurance, maintenance) | $260 | Older paid-off car |
| Travel + entertainment | $250 | One trip back to NY/year, occasional events |
| Misc + shipping | $120 | Online ordering + shipments |
| Hurricane reserve | $570 | Religiously banked |
| Total | $3,000 |
What they give up
- Larger or pool-equipped home
- Frequent dining out
- Fast turnaround on home repairs (they DIY where possible)
- Premium private health insurance (SZV + Medicare for US trips is their setup)
- A second car
What they keep
- A real Caribbean retirement
- Walking distance to coffee, market, beach (Cole Bay is genuinely walkable in places)
- Two trips home per year
- Adequate medical coverage for routine + emergencies
- A growing reserve
Couple B. The Comfortable $5,000/month
The setup
- Both 64. Former corporate executives from suburban Toronto.
- Sold Ontario home, bought a 2-bedroom Pelican Key condo with view for $475K.
- Penshonado active (qualifying property, foreign income).
- Mix of CPP, OAS, RRIF distributions, modest brokerage dividends.
- One newer Toyota RAV4.
- Generally healthy; one hypertension medication.
The monthly
| LINE | $ | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| HOA + property maintenance | $550 | Pelican Key condo, includes pool & gym access |
| Power (GEBE) | $450 | Comfortable AC, two zones |
| Water | $60 | Pool-loft adds water; modest gardener service |
| Internet + phone | $130 | Premium fiber + two phone lines |
| Property insurance | $180 | $2,160/year |
| Groceries | $850 | Mix of Carrefour + Le Grand Marché + French side |
| Dining out | $480 | 3-4 dinners/week, mix |
| Healthcare premiums (private intl + SZV + medevac) | $470 | $335 private (couple) + $115 SZV + $20 medevac |
| Out-of-pocket healthcare | $120 | Includes a private specialist visit/quarter |
| Car (gas, insurance, maintenance) | $480 | Newer car, full coverage |
| Travel + entertainment | $580 | 2 home trips/year, club memberships, dining events |
| Misc + shipping | $350 | Online ordering, gifts, ad-hoc |
| Hurricane reserve | $300 | Lower reserve because their condo HOA carries strong building insurance |
| Total | $5,000 |
What they get
- Premium oceanfront lifestyle
- Concierge medical
- Full vehicle flexibility
- Frequent travel without budget tension
- Property upgrades and renovations absorbed easily
- Minor home upgrades absorbed comfortably
Couple C. The Premium $10,000/month
- 70 and 68. Retired investment banker + retired physician from CT/NY.
- Sold Greenwich home, bought a Cupecoy oceanfront 3-bedroom for $2.4M.
- Penshonado active (qualifying property, substantial foreign income).
- Pension + brokerage + IRA + rental income from Florida property.
- Two cars: BMW X5 + a Mini for around-town.
- Active management of a chronic condition; concierge GP relationship.
The monthly
| Line | $ | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HOA + property maintenance | $1,400 | Cupecoy premium tower; includes pool, gym, valet |
| Power (GEBE) | $750 | Larger home, full central AC, multiple zones |
| Water | $120 | Larger home, plant beds, more guests |
| Internet + phone | $200 | Premium fiber, multiple devices, premium phone plans |
| Property insurance | $400 | Higher value coverage; $4,800/year |
| Groceries | $1,200 | Premium grocery, regular wine, French-side specialty |
| Dining out | $1,300 | Frequent dinners, both sides, premium when out |
| Healthcare premiums | $850 | Private intl premium + SZV + medevac + concierge GP |
| Out-of-pocket healthcare | $300 | Specialist visits, dental, some elective |
| Cars (gas, insurance, maintenance, two vehicles) | $700 | Two newer cars, premium coverage |
| Travel + entertainment | $1,500 | 3-4 trips/year, mix home + premium destinations |
| Misc + shipping | $580 | Premium online ordering, household services |
| Hurricane reserve | $700 | |
| Total | $10,000 |
What this requires
- Investable assets typically in the $3M+ range to support $120K/year in spend conservatively
- Active asset management
- Estate planning across two countries
- Adequate property insurance against the $2M+ property value (and the deductibles)
What they get
- Premium oceanfront lifestyle
- Concierge medical
- Full vehicle flexibility
- Frequent travel without budget tension
- Property upgrades and renovations absorbed easily
How to build your own model
- Start with non-negotiable fixed costs. HOA + utilities + insurance + healthcare. These are the floor; you can't budget below them.
- Add transport. One vehicle minimum unless you live in walkable Cupecoy/Maho cores.
- Add food + dining. This is where lifestyle shows up. Be honest about dining habits.
- Add travel. Couples typically need 1-3 home trips per year minimum. Don't pretend you won't.
- Add 10-15% miscellaneous. Shipping, gifts, household services, surprises.
- Add hurricane reserve. Always.
What changes the budget most
The three biggest variables I see:
- Property choice and size. A 3,000 sqft villa with pool is roughly 3x the operating cost of a 900 sqft 1-bedroom condo.
- Health complexity. Chronic conditions, complex med regimens, dental work. These compound.
- Travel home frequency. Each return trip for a couple is $1,500–$3,000 depending on time of year.
Less impactful:
- Entertainment / dining mix
- Car choice within the same tier
- Internet tier
- Streaming subscriptions
Common questions
What if my budget is $4,000/month?
You’re between A and B. Consider either Couple A’s setup with slightly more dining and one home trip per year, OR Couple B’s setup with more discipline on dining and travel. Both work.
What if I have $6,000/month?
You can do Couple B comfortably with margin, or you can stretch toward C with more selectivity (smaller home in Cupecoy or larger home in Cole Bay).
Can I retire here on $2,500/month?
Tight. You’d need outright ownership in a low-cost-of-ownership property (older Cole Bay or Pelican Key 1BR), absolute discipline on dining and travel, and minimal healthcare complexity. Doable but not for everyone.
How does the budget change if I rent instead of own?
Add $1,500–$3,000/month for rent (1BR–3BR). Subtract HOA + property insurance + maintenance reserves. Net usually adds $1,200–$2,300/month.
Does the Penshonado tax savings reduce the monthly budget?
Indirectly. The Penshonado lowers your effective tax rate, freeing more after-tax income, but it doesn’t reduce expenses. It expands your sustainable budget at the same gross income level.
What about inflation over a 20-year retirement?
Conservative planning: assume 3-4% real-terms inflation over a long retirement. A $5,000/month budget today might be $9,000/month in 20 years. Build that into your retirement-savings adequacy.
What to do next
01
Use the line items above to build your specific monthly model.
02
Run a 90-day stay testing actual numbers, not theoretical ones.
03
Read cost of living deep dive for category breakdowns.
04
Read grocery and utility costs for the volatile lines.
05
Pair your budget with the right neighborhood: see Cole Bay, Pelican Key, Cupecoy.