The Exuma Cays in the Bahamas lead the private island markets, with 10 islands for sale on Private Islands Inc. on Oct 18, 2026, asking from USD 1,500,000 to USD 50,000,000. Nova Scotia is the best value, with MacLellon’s Island at CAD 199,000. All prices are asking prices.
7 islands for sale, plus 5 sold or off the market; 2 are price on request
Motu and lagoon islands, including Bora Bora lagoon
Pick by what you want
Best overall
The Bahamas (Exuma Cays)
Best value
Nova Scotia, Canada
Most listings
Belize (cayes)
Lowest US-dollar price
Maine, USA (Penobscot Bay)
Most exotic
French Polynesia (Bora Bora lagoon)
The ranking
1
The Bahamas (Exuma Cays)
Photo: cogdogblog / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe deepest private-island market on the list.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 10 islands for sale in the Exumas, plus 7 sold or archived in its Historical VaultLowest asking price shown: USD 1,500,000 (Big Bullard Cay)Highest asking price shown: USD 50,000,000 (Hummingbird Cay)Foreign-buyer rule: A non-Bahamian registers a purchase for a single-family home or condo, but undeveloped land that would make the buyer holder of five or more contiguous acres needs a permit
The Exumas list 10 islands for sale on Private Islands Inc., asking from USD 1,500,000 for Big Bullard Cay to USD 50,000,000 for Hummingbird Cay. A non-Bahamian registers a home or condo purchase; undeveloped land of five or more contiguous acres needs a permit.
Go ifThe deepest list of islands for sale, from a few million to tens of millions
Skip ifYou want a published asking price on every island: Little Norman’s Cay is price upon request
Why #1 over #2: It lists 10 islands for sale, against 7 in Nova Scotia.
2
Nova Scotia, Canada
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe cheapest way in on this list.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 7 islands for sale, plus 9 sold in its Historical VaultLowest asking price shown: CAD 199,000 (MacLellon’s Island)Highest asking price shown: CAD 6,990,000 (Henry Island)Lowest asking price in US dollars: USD 666,000 (Round Island)Foreign-buyer rule: A Nova Scotia deed transfer tax of 10 per cent applies to residential real property bought by a non-resident, for agreements dated from April 1, 2025 (5 per cent before)
Nova Scotia has 7 islands for sale, from CAD 199,000 for MacLellon’s Island to CAD 6,990,000 for Henry Island. A 10 per cent deed transfer tax applies to residential property bought by non-residents under agreements dated from April 1, 2025, so ask a lawyer whether it reaches an island parcel.
Go ifThe lowest entry price shown on the list, in a cold-water setting
Skip ifYou are a non-resident who wants a warm-water island or to avoid the 10 per cent non-resident deed transfer tax
Why #2 over #3: Its CAD 199,000 entry price is the lowest asking price shown on the list, below the British Virgin Islands’ USD 2,950,000.
3
British Virgin Islands
Photo: SV Zanshin / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictCaribbean sailing country with a steep 12 per cent non-belonger duty.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 15 listings shown on page 1 of 2 (39 islands reported in total); they include villas and estates as well as islandsLowest asking price shown: USD 2,950,000 (Indigo Breeze Estate, a villa listing)Highest asking price shown: USD 40,000,000 (Exclusive BVI Private Island)Foreign-buyer rule: Stamp duty on freehold transfers is 4 per cent for belongers and 12 per cent for non-belongers, and companies under non-belonger control need a licence to hold land
Private Islands Inc. shows 15 BVI listings on page 1 of 2 and reports 39 in total, but they include villas and estates as well as islands. Prices run from USD 2,950,000 to USD 40,000,000, and non-belongers pay 12 per cent stamp duty against 4 per cent for belongers.
Go ifA Caribbean address with whole-island and island-resort listings
Skip ifYou want a whole island at the entry price: most low-priced listings are villas
Why #3 over #4: It is more of a sailing-country address than Belize, with a top listing at USD 40,000,000 against Belize’s USD 14,900,000.
4
Belize (cayes)
Photo: Cayo Espanto Private Island / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe biggest caye market on the list.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 15 listings shown on page 1 of 3 (76 islands reported in total)Lowest asking price shown: USD 2,750,000 (Veridian Caye)Highest asking price shown: USD 14,900,000 (Deer Caye)Foreign-buyer rule: Foreign investors may acquire titled privately owned property; stamp duty is eight percent on land transfers involving foreign persons and 5 percent for Belizeans and CARICOM nationals (2025 State Department report)Title risk: The State Department says investors complain of land insecurity and unreliable land titles
Belize shows 15 listings on page 1 of 3 and reports 76 islands in total, from USD 2,750,000 for Veridian Caye to USD 14,900,000 for Deer Caye. Foreigners may acquire titled private property, with 8 percent stamp duty, but the State Department flags unreliable land titles.
Go ifThe longest list of cayes, many under USD 5,000,000
Skip ifYou need clean title with no extra diligence
Why #4 over #5: It has far more listings (76 reported) than Maine’s 7 for sale.
5
Maine, USA (Penobscot Bay)
Photo: Yifan Wang from Buffalo, United States / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA low-priced, US-title island market.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 7 islands for sale (one under contract), plus 10 sold, archived or off the market in its Historical VaultLowest asking price shown: USD 350,000 (Greer Island)Highest asking price shown: USD 7,975,000 (Sheephead Island)Island registry: Maine’s Coastal Island Registry lists 1,846 islands registered to private owners, 204 exempt from registering and 1,322 under state care and custody
Maine has 7 islands for sale, from USD 350,000 for Greer Island to USD 7,975,000 for Sheephead Island. The state’s Coastal Island Registry lists 1,846 islands registered to private owners and 1,322 under state care and custody.
Go ifA US-dollar island with a state registry to check title
Skip ifYou want a tropical island or a turnkey estate: these listings are Maine coast islands
Why #5 over #6: Its USD 350,000 entry price is below Fiji’s USD 2,750,000.
6
Fiji
Photo: Isderion / CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA busy South Pacific market with strict land rules.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 15 listings shown on page 1 of 2 (31 islands reported in total)Lowest asking price shown: USD 2,750,000 (Nuku Resort)Highest asking price shown: FJD 34,000,000 (Koro Sun Resort and Rainforest Spa); USD 18,750,000 (The Savasi Sanctuary) is the highest in US dollarsForeign-buyer rule: Under the 2014 Land Sales Act, freehold land inside city or town council boundaries is limited to Fijian citizens; foreigners who buy approved land must build a dwelling worth at least USD 122,500 (FJD 250,000) within two years or face a 20 percent annual tax (2018 State Department report)Land tenure: Ethnic Fijians communally hold approximately 87 percent of all land
Fiji shows 15 listings on page 1 of 2 and reports 31 in total, from USD 2,750,000 for Nuku Resort to FJD 34,000,000 for Koro Sun Resort. The 2018 State Department report says foreign owners of approved land must build a dwelling worth at least USD 122,500 within two years.
Go ifSouth Pacific islands with many listings in the USD 2,750,000 to USD 18,750,000 range
Skip ifYou want certainty on current rules: the State Department report cited is from 2018
Why #6 over #7: It has 31 reported listings, against 10 in Greece.
7
Greece (Ionian and Aegean)
Photo: Tomisti / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictMediterranean islands, with a defence-ministry permit in border areas.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 10 islands for sale (2 more off the market); 5 are price on requestLowest asking price shown: EUR 2,200,000 (St. Athanasios Island)Highest asking price shown: EUR 100,000,000 (Poseidon’s Vantage)Foreign-buyer rule: Foreign citizens without Greek nationality need a special permit from the Minister of Defence to buy property in border territories, which a Greek law firm says include areas in the centre of the Aegean such as Skiros
Greece has 10 islands for sale, 5 of them price on request, with St. Athanasios Island at EUR 2,200,000 and Poseidon’s Vantage at EUR 100,000,000. Border territories need a special permit from the Minister of Defence.
Go ifA Mediterranean island, with a EUR 2,200,000 entry price shown
Skip ifYou want prices posted up front: half the listings are price on request
Why #7 over #8: It shows a EUR 2,200,000 entry price, while Scotland shows GBP 6,500,000 at the low end.
8
Panama (Bocas del Toro)
Photo: Dronepicr / CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe best Central American value after Belize.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 15 shown of 35 for sale, plus 11 shown sold or archivedLowest asking price shown: USD 599,000 (Private Island Gem)Highest asking price shown: USD 400,000,000 (Cincuenta Playas, a Black Book listing)Foreign-buyer rule: Panama has no specific regulations on land leasing or acquisition by foreign or non-resident investors, but much of its land lacks formal titles and a possession rights system faces frequent legal challenges (2025 State Department report)Bocas del Toro: The province covers the mainland and nine main islands
Panama shows 15 of 35 islands for sale, from USD 599,000 for Private Island Gem to USD 400,000,000 for Cincuenta Playas. The State Department says Panama has no specific rules for foreign buyers, but much land lacks formal titles.
Go ifLow entry prices in the Caribbean: several islands at USD 1,200,000 or less
Skip ifYou need formal title without extra diligence
Why #8 over #9: It lists 35 islands for sale, against Scotland’s 2.
9
Scotland
Photo: Brian Turner / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictTwo islands for sale among around 900.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 2 islands for saleAsking prices shown: GBP 6,500,000 (Eilean Righ) and USD 7,445,512 (Shuna Island)Islands: Scotland has around 900 offshore islandsBuyer note: The 2016 land reform act added a compulsory community right to buy land for sustainable development
Scotland has 2 islands for sale: Eilean Righ at GBP 6,500,000 and Shuna Island at USD 7,445,512, among around 900 offshore islands. The 2016 land reform act added a compulsory community right to buy land for sustainable development.
Go ifA small, rare market with two named islands listed
Skip ifYou want a choice of islands: only 2 are listed
Why #9 over #10: Its 2 islands for sale are a rarer find than French Polynesia’s 7, though neither is cheap.
10
French Polynesia (Bora Bora lagoon)
Photo: makemake at de.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe most exotic and the most regulated.
Listings on Private Islands Inc. (Oct 18, 2026): 7 islands for sale, plus 5 sold or off the market; 2 are price on requestLowest asking price shown: USD 2,140,562 (Motu Orama)Highest asking price shown: USD 39,000,000 (The Aquarian Estate)Foreign-buyer rule: Investments in real-estate acquisition (land or property rights) require prior authorization, applied for through the General Directorate of Economic AffairsGeography: French Polynesia has 121 islands and atolls
French Polynesia has 7 islands for sale, from USD 2,140,562 for Motu Orama to USD 39,000,000 for The Aquarian Estate. Real-estate acquisition requires prior authorization through the General Directorate of Economic Affairs.
Go ifMotu and lagoon islands, including Bora Bora lagoon
Skip ifYou want a quick purchase: prior authorization is required for land
How we ranked these
This is an editorial ranking, not a numeric score. We weighed how many islands Private Islands Inc. lists for sale in each market, the span of asking prices, and how clearly the foreign-buyer rules are published. Listings, counts and asking prices are as shown on Private Islands Inc. region pages on Oct 18, 2026; counts on some pages cover page 1 only. Rules come from government or State Department pages where we could read them, and a law firm page for Greece. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
Which private island market has the most listings?
On Private Islands Inc.’s region pages on Oct 18, 2026, Belize reported 76 islands, the British Virgin Islands 39, Panama 35 for sale and Fiji 31; the Exumas in the Bahamas had 10 for sale.
Where can you buy a private island for the least?
The lowest asking prices shown on Oct 18, 2026 were CAD 199,000 for MacLellon’s Island in Nova Scotia, USD 350,000 for Greer Island in Maine and USD 599,000 for Private Island Gem in Panama.
Can a foreigner buy a private island?
It depends on the market: the Bahamas needs a permit for undeveloped land of five or more contiguous acres, Belize allows foreigners to buy titled private property, Greece needs a Defence Ministry permit in border territories, and French Polynesia requires prior authorization for real-estate acquisition. Check with a local lawyer.
Are the listed prices what islands sell for?
No. Every price here is an asking price shown on Private Islands Inc. on Oct 18, 2026; some listings show price upon request and listings change.
Lowest asking price listed in US dollars (Private Islands Inc., Oct 18, 2026) at a glance
Maine, USA (Penobscot Bay)$350,000
Panama (Bocas del Toro)$599,000
Nova Scotia, Canada$666,000
The Bahamas (Exuma Cays)$1,500,000
French Polynesia (Bora Bora lagoon)$2,140,562
Belize (cayes)$2,750,000
Fiji$2,750,000
British Virgin Islands$2,950,000
Lowest asking price listed in US dollars (Private Islands Inc., Oct 18, 2026), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
