Are you yearning to escape the hustle and bustle of the rat race in favour of something a little more peaceful? Then how about swapping bricks and mortar for sun, sea and solitude? From dazzling sandy shores to picturesque lake retreats, these private islands are all for sale and cost less than the average apartment in major cities around the world. Click or scroll on to start exploring...

Covering almost 12 acres, Hawbolts Island is positioned in the Atlantic Ocean, just offshore from Nova Scotia, Canada. Incredible value for money, the private island is up for grabs for just £122,100 ($156k), or CAD$210,000 in the local currency. For your money, you'll gain outside space, scenery, seclusion and your very own island home.

A small timber home was built in 2004 and benefits from a lounge, an eat-in kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom with a camping shower. However, the buyer may wish to create their own dream home. According to the listing, there's a nice flat spot higher up in the middle of the island that would be perfect for a bigger house.

There are numerous other sheds and outbuildings on the island, too, which could either be removed completely, renovated and leased out to keen travellers, or utilised as anything the buyer chooses – a mediation or yoga studio, perhaps? 

A self-sufficient island, rainwater is currently collected and reused, allowing the owner to live off-grid. What's more, Hawbolts is positioned next to two other islands, which at some point might be available for sale. This means the buyer might be able to build their own island empire.

Another option in Nova Scotia, MacLellans Island is a lovely, untouched parcel that stretches 15 acres and lies in the centre of the Chezzetcook Inlet, only 20 minutes from Halifax International Airport. 

Accessing the island is easy, thanks to a nearby public wharf and boat launch on the mainland, where overnight parking is available. Most of this island is 35 feet above sea level and several parts rise at least 49 feet above sea level. There are a number of prepared plots for you to build a house on, and thanks to the high elevations, you're guaranteed amazing scenic views from every window. 

With enough development space for a large main home and several other smaller homes, you could create your own compound, a billionaire vacation island or a sanctuary for your friends and family to unwind together. The possibilities are endless!

This unique acreage comes with plenty of wildlife too, including a family of deer who are permanent residents of the isle. For sale with Private Islands Online for £168,800 ($215k) – that's around CAD$284,100. The island is a real steal, especially since the average house price in nearby Halifax in 2023 is CAD$529,900, which equates to around £308,200 ($393k).

Known as The Islands of Lac Lesage, this private lake retreat is actually two islands. The largest measures 37,321 square feet, while the second is 2,402 square feet, so in total, there's just under an acre of land up for grabs in a truly spectacular landscape.

The gorgeous islands can be found in the heart of the Laurentian Mountains, less than 40 minutes from the world-renowned Mont-Tremblant vacation resort and Mont-Tremblant International Airport. The isles are situated in Lac Lesage, a vast lake that's fully navigable via motorboat and peppered with only a handful of homes.

The islands are feet away from the protected Réserve faunique de Papineau-Labelle nature reserve, an area of diverse vegetation and wildlife where visitors can enjoy an array of outdoor activities, such as hiking and fishing. On the larger main island, you'll find three buildings: a two-level main house with an open-plan layout, a lakeside log cottage and a structure that houses washroom facilities.

Inside, the two-storey home is in need of a refresh, but with a lick of paint and some modern furnishings, we're sure it could be turned into a lovely remote retreat. What's more, the crystal-clear surrounding water is known for its purity, meaning wild swimming and other water activities are within your reach. Available for £286,600 ($365k) – that's around CAD$482,300 – what are you waiting for?

You'd be forgiven for thinking this small parcel of land is located off Billionaire's Row in Palm Beach, Florida, but you'd be wrong. For a fraction of the price, you could snap up a 0.8-acre island in Belize, Central America, with all the perks of The Sunshine State. Think sun, sea and luxury living. 

The island lies in a gorgeous lagoon in Placencia Village and can be seen here enclosed by other small islands, with the mainland a stone's throw away. Conveniently located and affordable, the strip of land is for sale for just £298,400 ($380k) and is primed and ready for you to build your dream home.

The property is perfect for a single-family home or multiple dwellings, but it's only accessible via boat. Offering privacy and security, with all the benefits of being right in the heart of the village, the island even comes with its own fledgling grove of coconut trees.

With less than an acre of land, this affordable island is the perfect opportunity for someone looking for a blank slate where they create their own tropical paradise. Plus, your new home will enjoy scenic coastal views, not to mention vistas of the nearby Mayan mountains.

Have you ever wanted to buy a dreamy oceanfront paradise in Maine, USA? Houses in the idyllic New England state cost £302,800 ($385.7k) on average, yet for not much more, you could snap up an entire private island paradise. Listed with Private Islands Online for just £310,100 ($395k), Greer Island is brimming with possibilities. 

This amazing American isle is positioned just off the eastern shore of Vinalhaven Island in Maine's mid-coast region. Offering a beautiful, rugged landscape that spans five acres, the island provides picturesque views of Penobscot Bay at one end and a protected cove at the other.

The island is currently undeveloped, although there is a small, unassuming shack that's crying out to be renovated into something a little more inviting. Here, meadows and spruce trees flourish, while wild strawberries and roses bloom in the summer months, making it a wilderness haven for off-grid living.

The island currently boasts permission for a new 600-square-foot structure to be built, so this could be the perfect development opportunity for a buyer with vision. Plus, at low tide, you'll have direct access to the sandy beach on neighbouring Vinalhaven – utter bliss!

Described as being in the "best location on the North Carolina coast" by listing agents, Private Islands Online, The Carolina Cays are a sublime offering with bags of potential. There are 24 10-acre islands in total across the Cays and buyers can now secure one or more, with prices starting from just £313,300 ($399k) and going up to £471,100 ($600k).

The islands are positioned on three acres of shoreline in the heart of the Outer Banks. Unusually high in elevation, some of the private parcels are 12 feet above sea level, placing them in a favourable AE flood zone with low insurance premiums. This means building your own home should be nice and easy. The lots have been fully engineered, too, so each has a well, a septic system and a dock. 

They're rich in history, too. The Cays was once a fishing village, dating back to the “Lost Colony” when the English settled in 1585. No structure has ever been built on the islands, so the possibilities are endless. Plus, with other islands available for sale, you'll be guaranteed your own little community of fellow islanders.

The islands feature beautiful oak and cedar trees, as well as ponds, marshes and wetlands. Hundreds of species of birds make it a popular place for bird watching, too. Plus, with unlimited seafood on your doorstep, you'll be able to enjoy fishing, crabbing and even oyster catching. Monitored daily by the US Coast Guard, The Carolina Cays are also minutes away from the boat launch on the Virginia Dare Bridge and the marinas, docks and restaurants of the mainland.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, this petite private island has everything you could need to start life afresh. If you've got CAD$575,000, or £334,500 ($426k) going spare, then it could soon be yours. Let's take a look around...

Measuring just shy of two acres, Northern Georgian Bay Island boasts a well-maintained, three-bedroom cottage, complete with a screened-in porch and exterior deck. Equipped with propane appliances and lights, it also has a gas-powered generator that guarantees a reliable power supply all year round.

Inside, the property is rustic and cosy, with exposed timber walls, ceilings and floors. There's a living room, dining zone, kitchen and a few bedrooms. It comes fully furnished, but the buyer may wish to redecorate.

There's also a guest cabin, which could easily be renovated and leased out as a holiday home or utilised by the owner. With good docking facilities, including a fairly new floating dock, accessing the island and exploring the surrounding waters will be a doddle.

If you're craving year-round sunshine, then Iguana Island in Nicaragua is a real estate gem that's sure to entice you. Marketed with Private Islands Online for £373,300 ($475k), the five-acre island is volcanic and can be found 12 miles off the coast of Bluefields, the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region.

The island has already been developed and comes equipped with a large three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a living room, dining room, kitchen, bar and wraparound porch – perfect for enjoying long, sunny evenings.

Plus, on the other side of the island, you'll find additional accommodation that has previously been used by staff members but could be utilised as holiday lets. There's plenty of room to add a swimming pool, too, but taking a refreshing dip is as simple as wading into the sea, on the calmer west side of the island.

A boardwalk meanders around the island, connecting the homes and protecting the natural habitats. There's even a 28-foot observation tower, which will allow the buyer to enjoy incredible views of the ocean and the rainforests in the distance. Plus, a back-up generator, septic system and water catchment system add to the island’s self-sufficiency. TV, internet and cell services are available as well, so all you need to do is pack your bags.

Neptune Cay can be found in the heart of the Bahamas, surrounded by the stunning azure-blue waters of the Caribbean. Yet the property is mere minutes from Stella Maris airport and resort, making this seemingly remote isle relatively easy to access. 

The 4.5-acre-island offers 9,536 square feet of undeveloped land, plus a handy mainland property featuring 600 feet of sandy beachfront. Perfect for kayaking or paddleboarding enthusiasts, this tropical base is also ideal for outdoor explorers.

The paradise property comes with some infrastructure already in place, including docks and private roads for navigating the acreage. These existing amenities should help to ease the construction process if a buyer wishes to develop holiday accommodation on the isle.

With white sandy beaches fringed with palm trees and crystal clear waters that are perfect for fishing or swimming, Neptune Cay is a real find. If you've fallen in love, Neptune Cay is currently up for grabs with Private Islands Online for £389,000 ($495k).

If you have a slightly bigger budget and prefer cooler climes, then Inis Saimer Island in County Donegal, Ireland, could well be for you. Priced at £398,000 ($502k), the compact isle is surrounded by the quiet waters of the Erne Estuary and not only comes with a small patch of land but a fixer-upper house, too.

The historic property was built in the mid-1800s and despite its age and exposed location, is in a fairly decent state of repair. Very spacious at around 2,553 square feet, the home is waiting to be brought back to life. Legend has it that a Scythian chief and his followers settled on the island around 2700 BC and are thought to be the first people to set foot in Ireland. It was also home to Cistercian monks in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Inside, there are generously proportioned rooms, including an open-plan living room, complete with a kitchen, dining area and sitting zone. There are three bedrooms, too, as well as a large function room that could even be used for events, or transformed into practical accommodation. The house benefits from lovely period features, including pretty windows, beamed ceilings and hardwood floors. What's more, the pad is already connected to the national electricity grid, has fibre optic broadband and a mains water supply.

What's more, since Inis Saimer is located in sheltered waters and benefits from its own private floating jetty, the buyer will be able to come and go at all stages of the tide. Plus, Ballyshannon’s town centre, with its shops and restaurants, is no more than six minutes away. How's that for the best of both worlds?

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