Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Oranjestad Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Oranjestad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,379 in Aruba versus $2,343 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,202 in Aruba versus $4,189 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,025 in Aruba versus $6,035 in Oranjestad.

Living in Aruba is roughly 2% more expensive than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 74% above, Oranjestad 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.56 AWG 26.06

$21.82 AWG 39.05

-33.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 AWG 159

$79.9 AWG 143

11.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 AWG 18.83

$10.07 AWG 18.02

4.47%

Cappuccino

$5.22 AWG 9.33

$4.29 AWG 7.67

21.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 AWG 4.25

$1.41 AWG 2.52

68.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 AWG 3.93

$1.59 AWG 2.84

38.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.24 AWG 9.37

$3.08 AWG 5.52

70.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 AWG 12.88

$4.02 AWG 7.19

79.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 AWG 2.95

$1.81 AWG 3.24

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 AWG 5.11

$3.03 AWG 5.41

-5.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 AWG 5.29

$2.92 AWG 5.23

1.03%

Eggs

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$5.46 AWG 9.77

-31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 AWG 24.63

$12.64 AWG 22.62

8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 AWG 7.30

$9.49 AWG 16.98

-57.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 AWG 21.49

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 AWG 8.52

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 AWG 3.64

$2.20 AWG 3.94

-7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 AWG 8.84

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.11

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 AWG 3.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 AWG 3.51

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 AWG 2.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 AWG 17.62

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 AWG 17.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 AWG 6.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 AWG 7.80

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 AWG 4.40

$2.14 AWG 3.83

14.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 AWG 53.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.19 AWG 30.76

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.83 AWG 6.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 AWG 43.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 AWG 4.26

$2.04 AWG 3.64

16.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.5K AWG 47.4K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$240 AWG 430

$250 AWG 448

-4.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$133 AWG 237

$48.21 AWG 86.3

174.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.6 AWG 151

$107 AWG 191

-20.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 AWG 112

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.95 AWG 46.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 AWG 21.24

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$298 AWG 534

$251 AWG 449

18.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K AWG 31.9K

$8,523 AWG 15.3K

108.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 AWG 109

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 AWG 115

$50.1 AWG 89.7

28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 213

$111 AWG 198

7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 182

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 AWG 1,155

$935 AWG 1,673

-30.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 AWG 2,483

$936 AWG 1,676

48.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,213 AWG 5,749

$2,698 AWG 4,828

19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,069 AWG 7,281

$3,088 AWG 5,526

31.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,288 AWG 4,094

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,710 AWG 3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,881 AWG 3,366

$1,708 AWG 3,056

10.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aruba: September 13, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Aruba and $935 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Aruba vs $80.0 in Oranjestad. Groceries flip the comparison at $146 vs $365, with Aruba cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aruba vs Oranjestad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aruba and Oranjestad differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,379 vs $2,343 including rent). Oranjestad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Aruba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $645 in Aruba versus $935 in Oranjestad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 150% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,379 per month in Aruba versus $2,343 in Oranjestad – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,343 in Oranjestad versus $2,379 in Aruba, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Oranjestad but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Oranjestad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aruba and Oranjestad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Oranjestad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.