We find it a bit different in the Caribbean than on the left coast side. Anchorages are plentiful and so are marinas in the larger Islands. Marina rates range from $2/ft/day in some upscale areas to $.50/ft/day or less in less developed areas. Food is always fresh and a bargain at the local farmers markets. Ever spot has one and you just need to find the day and plan on getting up early. Usually by 7Am all the good stuff is gone! Fort de France in Martinique has the most upscale farmers market. Other vary in selection and you must be ready to buy produce that you've never seen or heard of. Every Island has something similar to the last but call it something else so asking for what you thought you liked from the last market may bring blank stares at the next! In the Upper and Eastern Caribbean our food bill runs in the order of $1500 a month which includes a few meals out but mostly eating aboard. In Venezuela we are hard put to spend $500 and we tend to eat out even more. $4 for a large noontime meal is not unusual. Our slip here is under $400/mo including 50A/240v power, water and cable TV. When we leave for a cruise or the recent haul-out they rent the slip and give us back 50% the take from the temporary boat! Good deal, IMHO. This allows us to go cruising wherever we like and come back to the same spot. All for peanuts. We self insure except for liability which we carry at about $1300/yr. Health Insurance is difficult to get for over 65'ers. Most US policies don't cover oldtimers offshore. OTOH, the cost of medical services from the British Virgin Islands south to Venezuela is far cheaper than the US. Venezuela is the cheapest and also top notch. For example a total know replacement here including pre, & post with therapy is $7500. Prescription medicines are 10% of US costs. So we don't really worry about not having medical insurance at the present. We give Swan Song a budget of $1000/month for every thing...fuel included. So far the actual including the recent haul-out is closer to $500/mo mostly because the fuel here is cheap. All in all we started with a budget of $3000/mo and have been way under over the course of the past 15 months. This is far far less than living in the BVI cost us. Good deal I'd say :-) As always YMMV.... Dave & Nancy Swan Song Roughwater 58