When considering moving abroad, each country’s logistical pathway to entry is going to be slightly different. The Bahamas are fairly uncomplicated to pick up and move to, especially if you operate a reasonably funded bank account. With a wide range of full-service, populated communities, to quiet, laid-back islands all within close proximity to the US (less than an hour flight from Miami to Nassau, and three hours from NYC), a stable economy, and an endless summer, who wouldn’t want to pack up and move to The Bahamas?
Perhaps you were fortunate enough to land a job in The Bahamas and are bringing your family here, or maybe you are looking at purchasing a home and working remotely from your computer. Maybe you’re retired and just want a peaceful, and somewhat safe and stable place to while away your golden years, swaying in your hammock, sipping your rum cocktail and watching the sun sink into the ocean each night.
Whatever your reasons for moving to this stunning archipelago are, you’ll want to consider a few things when planning your relocation.
Cost of living
Be prepared for prices of everything to be much more than you are used to, unless you are coming from Switzerland or Bermuda. The Bahamas is ranked the third most expensive country in the world after the two aforementioned countries. Cost of living comparison charts show The Bahamas to be 20%-50% more expensive than many US cities and towns, but fairly on par with large-scale international cities. However, keep in mind that we don’t have income tax, so if you are making a decent salary either in The Bahamas or through your home country with a strong economy, it can end up equalling out.
A standard lunchtime meal is $18 (whether it’s local Bahamian fare or healthy cafe items), a quart of milk is $4.99 and 1 dozen eggs is $5.99, wine is $12 for a “cheap” bottle, and around $23 for a wine you may be used to paying $14-$16 for in the US. A case of local beer is $40-$50.
I have no idea what prices are in the rest of the world, so I don’t have much to compare these numbers to; perhaps this is high, or perhaps it’s normal if you live in a big city and shop at boutique grocery stores. At retail establishments, 12% VAT will be built into the listed price. VAT is charged on all goods and services.
Average rental prices in Nassau for a nice 3bd home in a gated community located in a desirable area close to shopping and good schools would start at $5000 per month. You can find condos and residences outside of gated communities for slightly less, but don’t expect to find much of anything luxe and liveable for under $2000 per month.
Be prepared to start over
Shipping your personal effects to the Bahamas is going to cost a lot. Then if/when you were to leave, you will likely have to leave things behind because it’s simply not cost effective to ship them out again. Most homes, whether you are renting or buying, are going to come furnished anyways. If you have precious items, heirlooms or irreplaceables, consider getting a temperature-controlled storage unit wherever “home” is. Storage facilities in The Bahamas are extremely limited. If you decide after several years that the Bahamas is your forever home, then you can consider importing those important things here. You can read about shipping your items here
Consider international medical insurance
You can get local insurance that only covers you in The Bahamas, but you’ll probably want to consider having coverage elsewhere in the world. For example, we have a local provider but pay extra for coverage in the US so we can see specialists and are covered for major medical emergencies. The hospitals and medical services are good in Nassau, but if you have a medical emergency or diagnosis, you might want to be transported to the US for specialists and top care. If you reside in the Out Islands where there are limited options for medical and emergency care in general, it will be in your best interest to head directly to Miami and skip Nassau all-together.
Bring your pet along
Certain countries have long quarantine processes and are difficult to import animals into. I’ve heard of families begrudgingly re-homing their beloved pet(s) because it was going to be too difficult and too stressful on the animal to consider bringing them along when they moved abroad.
Luckily The Bahamas has no quarantine requirements, so as long as your animal is up-to-date with their shots and doesn’t have rabies or any other illness, they are free and clear to travel with you as long as you go through the correct veterinary proceedings. Click here for more info on importing your pet.
Get an unlocked or dual SIM cell phone
There are a few options when considering your cell phone coverage. Some US carriers have reasonably priced international plans, so you might just stick with your international cell phone number, especially if you plan on traveling back to the US or Canada frequently. On newer phones that have dual SIM holders, you can get a local SIM card and operate in conjunction with your international number. But just make sure your phone isn’t locked to your carrier. You can buy an unlocked cell phone directly from the manufacturer. Otherwise, there are two carriers in the Bahamas (BTC and Aliv) and you’ll be able to buy a SIM card and/or a cell phone, and sign up for a pre-paid or post-paid plan.
If you decide you want to go fully Bahamian with your phone, consider the cost of service if you frequently travel abroad. It can be quite expensive, and if you are the type of person who is dependent on data (who isn’t these days?), then your international roaming fees might give you an early onset heart attack when you get your next cell phone bill.
Our resolve for connectedness abroad has been to purchase a SkyRoam WiFi box, which was recommended by another fellow island dweller. With the one-time purchase of the box, you’ll add day passes to the account and you can access WiFi wherever you have cell service (note: HWY 1 in Northern California does NOT have much in the way of cell service, so our box was rendered useless for a few days on a recent trip to the US). The box can service up to 5 cell phones or computers at a time. Day passes are $8-$9 per day. After you get your first roaming bill you’ll realize what a great deal this is…
Sign up for a ghost IP/VPN
Many banking and credit report sites, YouTube videos, Pandora music, and even Netflix will have limited or blocked access to foreign IP addresses. We signed up for StrongVPN account so that we have access to all of our websites as if we are in the USA (or England, or Canada, or whichever country you chose). You either log into the account on your computer, or you can set up a specialized router so that your WiFi network is on the VPN system. You’d be surprised how often you’ll use it to access content that you didn’t realize you couldn’t get here.
Banks
Oh, how do I even begin to prepare the newbie island dweller for the mental insanity of banks in the Bahamas? These banks will do your head in. And it’s not just me. Bring up banking at a cocktail party and you’ll get an earful of horror stories from anyone who has ever stepped foot inside a Bahamian bank. You’ll want to continue using your first world bank if at all possible.
Pack lots of sunscreen
That may sound obvious, but firstly, sunscreen will cost you an arm and a leg once you get here, and secondly, if you come from a northern locale, you probably won’t realize how fair you truly are until you start baring your skin to the forces of the tropical sun, no matter what shade you are.
I have a friend from England who has been in the Bahamas for over 20 years. After several skin cancer scares, you’ll now see her sporting a trendy long-sleeved, long-legged swimsuit and a wide-brimmed hat. So keeping it covered is always an option too. She uses a brand called TutuBlue. Roxy also has cute long sleeve swimwear.
Pack a backup supply of speciality items
Items you may normally take for granted by being able to instantly Amazon Prime-deliver to your doorstep may not be as readily available in The Bahamas. Things like face creams, hair products, medication, fancy pet food, and any number of other items that we have become accustomed to in the land of plenty, just go ahead and wrap your head around the fact that it’s almost 99% unlikely that you’ll be able to just go to the shopping mall and purchase it (especially in the Out Islands). Pack an extra suitcase and fill it with all of your favorite personal items.
Set up an account with a freight forwarding company
An alternative option to packing a year’s supply of your favorite shampoo is to sign up with a local freight forwarding company. There are numerous companies in Nassau and throughout various Out Islands that will handle the delivery of your package from their base in the US (usually Miami or Ft. Lauderdale) to their location in The Bahamas. In some instances, they can deliver right to your door.
Once your package is delivered to a freight forwarder, it will generally be in The Bahamas within the next week. Depending on the company you may pay for a membership, or you may pay per package which includes a brokerage fee, VAT, shipping and duty on the item. Make sure you have an idea what it will cost before you place your order, sometimes you can be in for a real shocker at how expensive it can be to bring in a small $20 item if there’s a $30 brokerage fee, 12% VAT, 45% duty and $25 for shipping.
Alternatively, most of us islanders plan for a few heavy shopping trips to Miami each year so we can load our suitcases up and take advantage of the tax exemptions (note: purchasing a small luggage-weighing apparatus is clutch. We are pros at packing our bags to get the most out of our 50lb weight limit)
Make sure your spouse is on board
The biggest challenge with families who move to The Bahamas is making sure your spouse or partner is able to assimilate into the community. If you come to The Bahamas on a work permit, your spouse will be allowed to accompany you, but will not necessarily have the right to work. If you are a homeowner, you can apply for a residency card, but again, it’ doesn’t grant the right to work.
Often the accompanying spouse becomes the lead parent or stay-at-home mom/dad. This can be lonely and frustrating, and rock fever is bound to quickly run rampant within said spouse’s stay-at-home head. Please remember that there are plenty of ways to be social and active in the community without going out and getting a job while the kids are at school. Consider volunteering in any number of avenues – sports coaching, homeless and pet shelters, churches, tutoring & mentoring, music lessons, etc. There are endless opportunities if you are willing to donate your time without taking an income. You’ll make new friends and enjoy your time on the island so much more if you take the time to get involved.
Connect with groups, reach out for information
Connect with ExpatBAHAMAS, HeadKnowles, and of course right here at Out Island Life on our Facebook and Instagram pages for information on how to move to The Bahamas. For first-hand accounts on the general craziness of island living, check out Women Who Live on Rocks (written by women, but all readers are welcome), and be sure to follow their Facebook page. You’ll find you can get most of your questions answered prior to your move by joining these types of social media groups.
Be sure to pick up a copy of our latest book Escape to the Bahamas: A Guide to Relocating to and Living in the Bahamas, where we go in-depth on topics such as
- Which island is right for you
- History, culture & landscape
- Buying or bringing your vehicle & getting around
- Renting
- Buying property
- Building in the Bahamas
- Establishing residency
- Supporting yourself financially
- Health care
- Crime and safety
- And many more topics!
I have lived Bahamas several years. the nicest place to move. Thanks for stunning tips