St Kitts vs Florida Closing Costs 2026: Why Caribbean Wins
6 min read · April 25, 2026
For most North American and European buyers thinking about a Caribbean property, Florida is the closest mental comparison. It's the place they already buy second homes, and the closing-cost spreadsheet is familiar. Here is what changes when the property is in St Kitts & Nevis instead, and where the differences are surprising.
The example purchase
We'll price an all-in cost for a foreign buyer (non-US, non-citizen of the federation) acquiring a US$750,000 villa for personal use, using cash.
Florida, the familiar number
| Item | Florida | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Title insurance | 0.5-0.6% | Typically split with seller; buyer pays ~half |
| Documentary stamp tax (deed) | 0.7% (general rate outside Miami-Dade; Miami-Dade differs) | Buyer or seller, by negotiation |
| Recording fees | 0.1-0.2% | Per page |
| Legal / title closing fees | 0.4-0.6% | Florida is title-company driven |
| Lender fees | n/a | We're paying cash |
| Survey | ~US$500 | Optional but recommended |
| Inspection | US$400-800 | Recommended |
| All-in buyer cost | ~2.0-2.5% | i.e. ~US$15,000-19,000 on US$750K |
Plus the property tax that follows you forever: Florida residential real estate is taxed at roughly 1-1.5% of assessed value per year, with no homestead exemption for non-residents.
St Kitts & Nevis, the surprising number
There are two scenarios and the gap between them is significant.
Scenario A: Non-CBI resale
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alien Landholding Licence | 10% of land value or US$750, whichever is greater | Required for all non-citizens |
| Stamp duty | 0% to buyer | Paid by the seller in the federation |
| Legal fees | 1-2% | Your own attorney |
| Licence application costs | ~US$1,500 | Filing, sundries |
| Escrow / wire fees | ~US$1,000 | International wire spread |
| All-in buyer cost | ~12-13% | i.e. ~US$90,000-100,000 on US$750K |
Scenario B: CBI-approved property
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alien Landholding Licence | Confirm with your attorney | Not assumed waived for CBI purchases |
| Stamp duty | 0% to buyer | Same as above |
| Legal fees | 1-2% | Your own attorney |
| Escrow / wire fees | ~US$1,000 | |
| All-in buyer cost | ~2-3% | i.e. ~US$15,000-23,000 on US$750K |
That's the punchline: a CBI-approved property in St Kitts & Nevis costs less to close than the Florida equivalent, before you even factor in the citizenship benefit.
Year-after-year carrying costs
Where the federation really pulls ahead is annual property tax:
- Florida: ~1-1.5% of assessed value per year.
- St Kitts & Nevis: ~0.2-0.3% of assessed value per year.
On a US$750K property, that's roughly US$8,000+/year in Florida vs. US$1,500-2,000 in the federation. Over a decade of ownership, the gap covers the closing-cost difference for a non-CBI resale several times over.
Your personal tax position in the federation depends on your circumstances, confirm income, capital-gains and estate-tax treatment with a licensed tax adviser and the Inland Revenue Department.
The honest comparison
| Florida | St Kitts (non-CBI) | St Kitts (CBI) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closing cost (% of price) | 2.0-2.5% | 12-13% | 2-3% |
| Annual property tax | 1-1.5% | 0.2-0.3% | 0.2-0.3% |
| Personal income / capital-gains tax | Yes (US federal) | Confirm with a tax adviser | Confirm with a tax adviser |
| Citizenship benefit | None | None | Yes, family included |
| Average days to close | 30-45 | 120-180 | 60-90 |
What this means for buyers
If you are choosing just for cost between a Florida second home and a non-CBI St Kitts resale, Florida wins at closing, but the federation catches up within the first decade of ownership thanks to property tax, and pulls ahead permanently if you ever sell at a gain.
If you can buy inside an approved CBI development, the federation is cheaper at every horizon, plus you gain St Kitts & Nevis citizenship. This is the calculation most international buyers eventually arrive at, and it's why Isle & Key publishes the verified CBI list every day.
Sources & how to verify
These figures were compiled as of April 25, 2026 and change over time, verify before relying on them.
- CBI thresholds, holding period and fees: St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit, ciu.gov.kn (consulted April 25, 2026).
- Property tax rates (St Kitts & Nevis): Inland Revenue Department, property-tax rates and exemptions (consulted April 25, 2026).
- Stamp duty (St Kitts & Nevis) (payable by the seller on a conveyance on sale; rate set by the Act): Inland Revenue Department stamp-duty page and the Stamps Act, Cap 20.40 (consulted April 25, 2026).
- Alien Landholding Licence (St Kitts & Nevis): required for non-citizen buyers under the Aliens Land Holding Regulation Act, Cap 10.01; the licence fee is charged as stamp duty under the Stamps Act, Cap 20.40 at 10% of the land value or US$750, whichever is greater (consulted April 25, 2026).
- Florida documentary stamp tax (US comparison): Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax (consulted April 25, 2026).
- Florida property tax (US comparison): set and assessed per county, there is no single statewide rate; see the Florida Department of Revenue property-tax overview and the relevant county property appraiser (consulted April 25, 2026).
- Prices, rents, yields (ROI), mortgage rates and cost-of-living figures: Isle & Key market estimates as of April 25, 2026, not official figures, confirm with the listing agency, a licensed lender and a professional adviser.
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.
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