Cost of living in Guernsey, honestly

Last reviewed: October 2026

What would the life you want here cost your household? Start with the home, care, everyday spending and travel that matter to you. These dated figures offer context; your own budget needs current quotes.

Work through your own household figures

Use the free Household Decision Worksheet to bring your own take-home income, monthly spending and one-off costs together. Unknown amounts stay unknown. No email address is needed and no answers are sent.

What did the June 2026 inflation figures show?

The official RPI summary, checked on 15 October 2026, reports annual inflation of 4.3% for the year ending June 2026. That describes the change in a weighted basket, not the increase in every household's bills.

Historical detail: fuel and housing in June 2026

The June 2026 figures retained from the August review reported that fuel and light was the largest single contributor to inflation in the year to June 2026, rising 19.0% and driven largely by kerosene prices. If a home uses oil heating, include current supplier quotes in your own budget.

Housing costs added a further 0.9 percentage points, rising 4.9%.

Different households, different pressures

The official June 2026 Household Costs Indices summary reports 5.2% annual inflation for households containing a retired person, compared with 4.0% for high-income households and owner-occupiers with a mortgage. These are group indices, not predictions of your own spending.

That is a reason to build a budget around your circumstances rather than the island's reputation. Housing, support needs and travel can matter differently to each household.

Rent

The official property summary, checked on 15 October 2026, gives a mix-adjusted average Local Market rental price of £2,138 per calendar month for Q2 2026, 3.1% higher than Q2 2025. This is a historical market statistic, not a quote for a home available today.

Check actual properties that fit your household and eligibility. The housing guide explains why being able to buy and being able to occupy are different questions.

The no VAT question

There is no VAT or sales tax in Guernsey. That helps on some purchases and matters less than you would think on others, because freight and other costs also influence retail prices.

Budget separately for travel. If you expect regular trips to see family elsewhere, compare prices for the dates you would actually travel.

What I would tell you

Do not budget on the island's reputation. Budget on the current bulletins, which the States publishes quarterly and which are linked below. Include heating, travel home and any support you may need to replace. Leave unknown costs visible rather than smoothing them away.

Last reviewed: October 2026. Reviewed 15 October 2026. Annual inflation figures refer to June 2026 and rental figures to Q2 2026. These are historical statistics, not quotes for your household. Detailed fuel and housing component figures are retained from the August 2026 review.