Relocation intelligence
🇸🇭 Moving to St. Helena: tax, residency and cost of living
Saint Helena levies its own relatively low income tax in two bands of 26% and 31%, with a modest personal allowance of about GBP 7,000. There is no VAT and corporate tax is about 25%. The currency is the Saint Helena pound, at par with sterling, and residents travel on a British passport. It is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, in the South Atlantic, reachable by air since 2017, with a small community and limited services.
Thinking of moving to St. Helena? Here is the tax, residency, property and quality-of-life picture in plain numbers, with sources.
Key facts
- Top income tax
- 31%
- Corporate tax
- 25%
- Capital gains
- 10%
- Wealth tax
- No
- Inheritance tax
- No
- Cost of living index
- 70
- Safety
- 9/10
- Internet quality
- 4/10
- Visa-free destinations
- 187
- Foreigners can own property
- Yes
- Residency in
- 6 months
- Citizenship in
- 5 years
Taxes
Own income tax in two bands, 26% and 31%, with an allowance of about GBP 7,000. No VAT, corporate tax about 25%.
Residency and visas
Residence and work require permits; the labour market is very small and focused on public service and tourism.
Property ownership
Foreigners can own property, but the market is tiny and much land is Crown land.
Cost of living and quality of life
Saint Helena offers safety, pristine nature and a close-knit community, but is extremely remote with limited healthcare and services.
Passport and mobility
Residents are British citizens and travel on a British passport, with visa-free access to about 187 destinations.
Why people move to St. Helena
Low own income tax
With bands of 26% and 31% and no VAT the tax burden is low by international standards.
Pristine and safe
The island offers spectacular nature, low crime and a quiet, close-knit community.
Honest trade-offs
- Sint-Helena is een van de meest afgelegen bewoonde eilanden ter wereld, met beperkte medische zorg, dure import en een zeer kleine arbeidsmarkt.
- Ondanks lage tarieven kent de tweede schijf 31% en is de persoonlijke vrijstelling met circa GBP 7.000 bescheiden en jarenlang niet verhoogd.
- De vastgoedmarkt is minuscuul en veel grond is Crown land, waardoor het verwerven van een woning lastig is.
See how St. Helena scores for your situation
Get your personal Freedom Score and a full relocation comparison based on your income, family and goals.
Calculate my score