Cayman Islands Guides
Practical guides to living in, moving to, and visiting the Cayman Islands, written from local data and primary sources. Updated as the facts change.
Moving & Cost of Living
13
- Cost of Living in the Cayman Islands What it really costs to live here: rent, utilities, schools, and the no-income-tax picture.
- Cayman vs Miami: Cost of Living Headline costs, rent, and the post-tax comparison for a Miami move.
- Cayman vs London: Cost of Living Like-for-like costs plus the UK income-tax and National Insurance gap.
- Cayman vs Toronto: Cost of Living Living costs and the Ontario-versus-zero income-tax math.
- Moving to the Cayman Islands Work permits, residency, housing, and the 90-day relocation sequence.
- Buying Property in the Cayman Islands Can foreigners buy? Yes: no license, freehold title, no property tax, the 7.5% stamp duty, and the residency-by-investment routes.
- Enterprise City vs the Work Permit The Special Economic Zone versus the standard work-permit route, and what each means for PR.
- Work Permit Costs in the Cayman Islands What a permit really costs the employer in 2026: occupation fees, the fees around them, and what changed on 1 May.
- Work Permit Fees: the Full Schedule Every annual permit fee, all 1,900+ occupations across 44 sectors, with Grand Cayman and Sister Islands rates.
- Bringing a Dog or Cat to Cayman The DoA import permit, rabies titre test, microchip, flights, banned breeds, and no quarantine.
- Shipping to the Cayman Islands Getting US online orders here: freight forwarders, air versus ocean rates, and the 22% import duty.
- Does Amazon Ship to Cayman? Yes for some items via DHL, but the selection is limited. How it works and what to use instead.
- Cayman Import Duty Calculator Estimate the duty on goods or a vehicle: the 22% rate, vehicle bands to 42%, and what is duty-free.
Getting Around
7
- Getting Around Grand Cayman Taxis, rental cars, buses, walking, and which option fits which trip.
- Is There Uber in Grand Cayman? No Uber or Lyft: why, and the regulated taxi and ride-share options instead.
- Electric Vehicles in the Cayman Islands Import duty, charging, running costs, and how clean an EV really is here.
- The Honda Fit in Cayman The island's most-registered car: live prices by model year, why it dominates, the safety debate, and buying checks.
- Seven Mile Beach to George Town by Bus Which West Bay route to catch, the CI$2 fare, hours, and how long it takes.
- Taxi: Airport to Seven Mile Beach What the regulated fare costs (about CI$26/US$33) and how to grab a cab on arrival.
- Seven Mile Beach Parking & Sunset Where to park free, the public-access points, and the best spots for sunset.
Hotels & Condos
13
- Seven Mile Beach Hotels Compared The main SMB hotels by tier, location, dining, resort fees, and who they suit, plus head-to-head matchups.
- Seven Mile Beach Condos Compared The main beachfront condo complexes by stretch, pools, amenities, and on-site dining.
- Discovery Point vs Silver Sands Two quiet far-north-end condo complexes compared.
- Discovery Point vs Plantana All two-bedroom and quiet versus a central one-to-three-bedroom mix.
- Plantana vs Villas of the Galleon A pool versus a pure-beach central spot.
- Regal Beach vs Villas of the Galleon Resort-style amenities versus beach-first.
- Christopher Columbus vs Discovery Point Two north-end complexes with tennis and pools.
- Ritz-Carlton vs the Westin Classic top-tier luxury against the full-service Seven Mile Beach benchmark.
- Kimpton Seafire vs the Ritz-Carlton Two top SMB luxury resorts side by side: vibe, dining, and what your group wants.
- Kimpton Seafire vs the Westin A design-led lifestyle resort versus the full-service benchmark, both beachfront.
- Westin vs the Grand Cayman Marriott Two beachfront SMB resorts; the 2026 decider is the Marriott's beach-restoration project.
- Hotel Indigo vs the Westin Boutique, design-led value a short walk from the sand versus the full-service beachfront resort.
- Sunshine Suites vs the Hampton Two value plays off the sand, and what each resort's daily charge actually buys.
Visiting & Practical
25
- Cruise Visitor's Day Guide Tender logistics, day-of itineraries, Stingray City, and practical tips.
- What's Open on Sunday in Grand Cayman What is open and closed on Sundays: brunch, supermarkets, alcohol hours, attractions, and pharmacies.
- Reef-Safe Sunscreen: Is It Required? No law as of 2026: the chemicals to avoid, what to use, and where to buy mineral sunscreen.
- Returning a Rental Car at the Airport The full-tank rule, where to fill up cheap with live fuel prices, drop-off, and how early to arrive.
- How Early to Arrive at GCM Airport What the airport and Cayman Airways recommend, the hard cutoffs, live departure traffic, and the new faster security.
- Cayman Customs for Tourists Snorkel gear, your own food and meat, the duty-free allowance, what to declare, and live arrival times.
- Resort Day Passes & Beach Access Which resorts sell day passes, the family water parks, and how to use any beach for free.
- Best Beaches & Snorkeling The best beaches and shore-snorkel spots, plus a live read on the calmest coast today.
- Sargassum: Season & Beach Guide When sargassum seaweed arrives, which coasts it hits, why Seven Mile Beach is usually spared, and a live daily outlook.
- Saharan Dust: Season & Health Guide What the Saharan dust layer is, when it reaches Cayman, its effect on air quality and health, and how it quiets the hurricane season.
- Mosquitoes: Season & Disease Status No local dengue or Zika outbreak, when you need repellent, and how the MRCU keeps the island livable.
- Rainy Day: Things to Do Indoor and undercover options for a wet day: cinema, galleries, the museum, distillery and bakery tours, and more.
- Where to Buy Wine in Grand Cayman Wine shops and the best selections, delivery, plus wine bars, tastings, and a wine club.
- Grand Cayman Wine Prices Compared The same popular wines compared across four stores, in CI$, refreshed weekly.
- Currency & Credit Cards The CI$/US$ rate, which currency you pay in, how cards are billed, ATMs, and fees.
- eSIM, SIM Card & Roaming The easiest way to get mobile data: a travel eSIM, a local Flow or Digicel SIM, or roaming, with current prices.
- Tipping in the Cayman Islands The service charge on the bill, when to top up, who else to tip, and the US$ to CI$ maths.
- Seasonal Restaurant Closures Which Grand Cayman restaurants close for the low season, with dates confirmed by the venues, who runs reduced days, and who stays open year round.
- Lobster and Conch Season The legal season dates, catch limits and sizes, marine park rules and penalties, verified against the regulations.
- Bio Bay: the Bioluminescent Bay The year-round glow near Rum Point: when to go by the moon, kayak vs electric boat vs snorkel, prices and directions.
- Pirates Week Festival The 2026 dates on all three islands, the pirate landing, parades and fireworks, and how to plan around the road closures.
- Hurricane Season Prep Guide Pre-season prep, supply standards, shelters, and recovery expectations.
- Grocery Delivery in Grand Cayman Every store that delivers, fees by district, and the all-in cost math.
- Liquor Delivery in Grand Cayman Where to buy, who delivers, and the rules on buying alcohol locally.
- Cannabis, CBD & THC Laws What is legal, the medical-only regime, and what you cannot bring across the border.