Jersey is a beautiful island and a wonderful place to live and its residents have a quality of life that’s hard to beat. As an island, the cost of living is higher than what you may be used to so in this blog we will explore some of the living costs in Jersey, including taxes, food, education, housing, utilities and travel.
Tax & Contributions in Jersey
Jersey is a low tax jurisdiction with some of the lowest tax rates in Europe. With low personal tax rates, no CGT or IHT, and 0% corporate tax (10% for certain regulated financial services businesses) discover how relocating to the beautiful Island of Jersey can pave the way to success for you, your team and your family.
- 0% -10% Corporate Tax Regime
- 20% maximum personal tax (+1% Long-Term Care contribution)
- 5% Goods & Service Tax (GST)
- No Inheritance Tax (IHT)
- No Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
- Specific tax regime for HNWIs
For more information on corporate and personal tax and contributions please see Tax & Contributions in Jersey.
Household Income
Since 1990 Jersey has seen annual increases in the average earnings of Islander’s, and in the last year average weekly earnings have increased by 2.6%. This can mean that salaries on the Island tend to be higher than that in other jurisdictions, such as the UK. The average mean weekly earning for those in full time employment (FTE employees) was recorded at £770 per week in 2019 with those in financial services earning, on average, considerably more than other sectors at an average of £1050 per week.**
*Average Earnings Index excludes bonuses, employers’ insurance contributions, holiday pay, and benefits in kind. Figures accurate at 06/2019.
Housing
Finding the home that is just right for you in Jersey couldn’t be easier. Although covering an area of just 45 square miles, you will find every property option from contemporary sea view apartments, traditional granite farmhouses to elegant country homes.
As with any smaller-sized jurisdiction, it is true that both purchase prices and rents in Jersey can be higher than many other jurisdictions, so if you or your staff are relocating, you should ensure you have done some research into what is ‘affordable’ based on income levels.
To protect our housing stock for those who have chosen to make Jersey their home the right to buy and occupy property in Jersey is controlled by law so before considering a move to Jersey please read our page ‘Finding a Home’ in particular the sections ‘Jersey Residential Statuses’ and ‘What Kind of Property You Can Buy’.
Jersey really is the perfect environment in which to settle and call home. Whether it’s the hustle and bustle of town life, the peacefulness of the countryside, or vibrant sunsets to adorn your sea view, you can find the perfect home right here!
If you would like to know more about buying property in Jersey or would like more information on Residential Qualifications in Jersey, please see our page, ‘Finding a Home’.
Food
Islanders are real foodies and with such amazing local produce on the doorstep, you’ll understand why! A move to Jersey means the freshest produce from land and sea can be on your plate in minutes.
While the prices of locally grown and harvested foods are generally lower, other food and household items bought here do tend to command higher prices than somewhere like the UK for example as they have additional importation costs.
The Island has a range of supermarkets and also local markets selling meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and flowers. Added to these are a good number of excellent delis, farm shops, and many road-side hedge-veg’ stalls known locally as Honesty Boxes. There are even pop-up fish stalls where you can buy the local catch straight from the fishermen which is often a cheaper (and fresher!) option.
Thanks to the abundance of fresh, local produce and our love for great food, it is no surprise that the Island has over 400 cafes, bars and restaurants all making the most of what the Island has to offer. So if it’s fine dining or rustic beach cafes you love, you’ll find a great choice here!
If you want to know more about food culture in Jersey why don’t you check out our lifestyle blogs.
Travel
A leading jurisdiction with a global reach, Jersey opens up a world of connections. Move to Jersey and gain all the advantages of an offshore destination with the practicalities of swift and strategic connections to the rest of the world.
Located in the west of the Island, Jersey’s airport and private airfield are easily accessible allowing you to be home within minutes of landing, ready to slip back into the Island’s relaxed pace of life. With over 30 flights a day to the UK, a flight time of just 40 minute to London and direct flights into some other European cities, here in Jersey you are at the heart of worldwide travel networks.
Jersey is also connected to both the UK and Europe through daily car ferry sailings to and from Poole, Portsmouth, Guernsey and St Malo (France). As St Malo is just over and hours sailing away it’s a great place for a day out or a weekend away.
Prices for air and sea travel fluctuate, you can often find some great deals but expect to see much higher prices during peak travel times and seasons (e.g. school holidays).
On-Island transport services are also excellent with a good and affordable bus service across the whole Island and plenty of public and private taxi companies, though charges for these are slightly higher than some other comparable jurisdictions. However, because fuel is considerably cheaper than other jurisdictions such as the UK, there is no road tax, car insurance is much lower, and with some free parking options being available outside of St Helier, the costs of owning and running a car here are relatively modest.
Growing in popularity however is cycling. Not only is this becoming a popular way to exercise, but, with free-to-use bike racks available island-wide, an ever increasing number of dedicated safe cycle paths and with traffic speed limits from 15 to 40 mph, cycling is a convenient and cheap way to commute to work. A recent addition to Jersey are Evie bikes, electric bikes you can rent for a small fee in a similar fashion to London’s Boris/Santander bikes. These are also proving popular for commuting and for a day out exploring the Island at a slower pace.
Move to Jersey, the best connected Island in the British Isles with the rest of the world at your fingertips!
Utilities
Jersey is well equipped to meet the present and future energy and water supply needs of the population with the three key suppliers being Jersey Electricity, Jersey Gas and Jersey Water. The Government are major shareholders in both Jersey Electricity and Jersey Water ensuring the security of supply and the development of infrastructure.
Between 90 and 95% of Jersey’s electricity is imported from low carbon nuclear and hydro-electric sources in France through 3 undersea supply cables, making the reliability of our energy supply 10 times higher than, for example, mainland UK and much ‘cleaner’ and supplemented locally by our own energy-from-waste operation.
Jersey Gas, part of Islands Energy Group, supplies gas liquefied petroleum gas which, because it is produced off-Island and shipped to Jersey, does mean charges for this are higher than some other jurisdictions.
Jersey Water is the Island’s sole water supplier, with the Government of Jersey as a major shareholder, owning approximately 74% of the company. The majority of properties in the Island are linked to the mains water supply though some do still have their own private boreholes and wells.
There are three main mobile, telephone and broadband providers on the Island, these being, Jersey Telecom, Sure and Airtel Vodafone. Because of Jersey’s position outside of the UK and EU, off-island rates and roaming charges can be significantly higher. However standard on-Island rates are comparable to other jurisdictions.
For current tariffs please visit the provider’s websites.o find out more about Jersey infrastructure and utilities please see our page Infrastructure.
Child Care & Education
The Island values its children and young people, demonstrated not least by its top-class education system.
Childcare is available for children aged 0 to 3 years old, from many excellent nurseries across the Island and private registered child-minders, the cost of which can be claimed for in tax relief. Free nursery education for up to 20 hours a week is available for children who in the school year turn 4 years old. There are over 20 excellent local primary schools in Jersey and 5 equally excellent secondary schools.
There are also several private primary and secondary schools, the fees for which are approximately 1/3 of those charged by similar schools in the UK for example.
Jersey also offers a good range of further and higher education options including degree level qualifications in many subjects including; digital leadership, law, social work, business studies, social sciences and nursing. Fees for these courses are much lower than those charged by UK universities and of course there are no accommodation charges to consider for those choosing to stay in Jersey and study here. However, for students who wish to go to university in the UK or further afield there is a means-tested grant scheme with some residential qualification requirements. For other students looking for more vocational training, the college of further education offers a huge range of courses from childcare to motor mechanics, from art to IT, from health and social care to languages and much, much more. The costs of these do vary but are modest for all subjects.
If you would like to know more about schooling on the Island, please see our page, ‘Education in Jersey’.
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From the above you can see that some parts of Jersey life do come with a higher price tag than other jurisdictions, though most residents do find these costs balance out with those aspects of Jersey life that are better value and with the wonderful quality of life and the internationally compliant reputation it holds. Move to Jersey and experience Island life at its best.
If you would like to find out more about moving to Jersey contact a member of the team for a free, confidential chat on +44(0)1534 440604 or locatejersey@gov.je
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Strategically positioned between the UK and Europe, Jersey opens up a world of connections.
- Enviable quality of life and work-life balance
- Highly regarded and well-regulated international jurisdiction
- Safe, secure community lifestyle
- Low personal and business taxes