Grenada is a country in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea and it is not the most popular tourist destination in the region. Most tourists visiting the Caribbean islands come from the United States of America and the numbers of Canadian tourists are impressive too. However, North Americans have closer Caribbean islands to spend their vacations there: Grenada is just a bit too far away from them. Thus, Grenada’s geographical location is the main reason for its lack of popularity with foreign tourists. On the other hand, Grenada outperforms many other Caribbean countries as far as the quality of life is concerned. Living in Grenada is safer, more comfortable, and less expensive in comparison to many other Caribbean states.
Grenada is safe
Grenada may be a remote country but it is actually blessed with its geographical position. Why? Because it sits outside the hurricane belt. Hurricanes wreak havoc on many Caribbean islands devastating them every couple of years. For example, when hurricane Irma hit Barbuda in 2017, it ruined 95% of the infrastructure on the island. Houses, piers, water and electricity supply facilities, garbage collection facilities – everything was destroyed and all the island residents had to be evacuated to Antigua (only very few people decided to stay). St Vincent sits less than a hundred kilometers to the north of Grenada and it already gets hit by hurricanes from time to time. St Lucia is a bit more than 200 kilometers to the north and it faces hurricanes regularly. Grenada does not.
It is true that strong winds can blow in Grenada sometimes but a strong wind is not a hurricane: it does not destroy buildings. The temperature is very much the same throughout the year in Grenada even though we must admit that it is also the case for most (or all) other Caribbean islands. As far as the rain season is concerned, it is nothing terrible at all. It does not rain in Grenada all day long or for several days in a row: a heavy shower will fall once a twice a day but it will normally last for less than an hour. And it is sunny for the rest of the day. The rainy season lasts from May to December in Grenada.
Grenada is also often listed among the safest Caribbean islands as far as the crime rates go. The neighboring country of Trinidad and Tobago to the south of Grenada is also outside the hurricane belt but it is doing much worse in terms of the crime rates. As a matter of fact, Trinidad and Tobago is one of the most unsafe Caribbean countries along with Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Haiti. People are friendly in Grenada; they greet strangers in the street. (The population of the country exceeds 125 people so you can really run into somebody who you do not know in person. This is not the case on some tiny Caribbean islands where everybody knows everybody.) You should make a note of this custom: if you find yourself in Grenada, please wave your hand and say ‘Hi’ to everyone who comes your way. Otherwise the locals will regard you as a rude person.
Grenada is comfortable
You can find both fantastic sandy beaches and high mountains covered with lush tropical forests in Grenada. There are other countries in the Caribbean that offer the same luxury to nature lovers but not all of them. The Bahamas, for example, may be a more prosperous country in comparison to Grenada but there you can find only sand and coral reefs – no hills nor thick forests.
All sorts of waterfront entertainments are readily available in Grenada (there’s even an underwater sculpture park) but you should definitely explore the inner parts of the island too. Depending on how far you are prepared to hike, you can find some beautiful scenery there including mountain streams, waterfalls, a crater lake, and various species of birds and animals.
The quality of roads is not very high in Grenada but they are passable anyway. The main road goes around the island but some inland places are accessible only on foot. Isn’t it wonderful?
Grenada is inexpensive
Grenada offers a wide choice of real property in different price segments. There you can find spacious villas sitting right on the shore that cost 5 million US dollars or more. But you can also find very inexpensive accommodations in Grenada. As far as rental apartments go, some of them will cost you only 300 to 400 dollars per month. True, the apartment is not going to be located at the beach but the sea is never too far away wherever you settle down in Grenada: it is a small island, after all.
The food doesn’t cost much either in Grenada. What is more, you cannot starve in the country even if you have no money at all: fruit grows on the trees and fish swims in the sea. A one-way bus ticket costs a dollar and a few cents even though taxis are quite expensive. Sending your child to an international school will cost you only a bit more than a thousand dollars per year. The price is going to be five times as high in a Caribbean country lying only a couple hundred kilometers to the north of Grenada.
The bottom line is as follows: if you are thinking of relocating to Grenada with the intention to find a job there, this is not a very good idea because the employment situation is difficult in the country. However, if you have a stable source of income (such as a remote job, for instance), moving to Grenada is an opportunity that you must consider by all means: it’s an outstanding Caribbean country in many respects. You don’t have to have a high income – the average monthly salary in Grenada is only about a thousand dollars. So you can easily get by with two or three thousand per month. If you have a bit more than US$ 150,000 to spare, you can also acquire citizenship of Grenada by investment and then legally live in paradise until the end of your life.
