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: $2,832 in Aruba versus $1,985 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,936 in Aruba versus $3,132 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,041 in Aruba versus $4,279 in Oranjestad.

Living in Aruba is roughly 43% more expensive than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 113% above, Oranjestad 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 AWG 23.50

$18.90 AWG 33.83

-30.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 AWG 164

$80.3 AWG 144

13.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 AWG 18.23

$10.45 AWG 18.70

-2.49%

Cappuccino

$4.88 AWG 8.73

$3.74 AWG 6.70

30.48%

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

$2.30 AWG 4.11

$1.41 AWG 2.52

63.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 AWG 3.71

$1.61 AWG 2.89

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 AWG 7.79

$2.94 AWG 5.27

47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 AWG 10.77

$3.95 AWG 7.07

52.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 AWG 4.16

$1.90 AWG 3.40

22.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 AWG 6.69

$3.02 AWG 5.40

23.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 AWG 6.90

$2.89 AWG 5.17

33.56%

Eggs

$5.54 AWG 9.91

$5.31 AWG 9.50

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.60 AWG 56.5

$12.56 AWG 22.48

151.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 AWG 11.57

$9.06 AWG 16.22

-28.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.15 AWG 30.70

$12.32 AWG 22.05

39.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 AWG 11.01

$4.61 AWG 8.24

33.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 AWG 5.10

$2.30 AWG 4.12

23.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.93 AWG 12.41

$4.94 AWG 8.84

40.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.03 AWG 14.36

$3.54 AWG 6.34

126.84%

Potato (1kg)

$4.11 AWG 7.35

$2.23 AWG 4.00

84.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 AWG 6.86

$1.95 AWG 3.48

96.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.86 AWG 10.48

$2.67 AWG 4.78

119.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 AWG 6.61

$1.58 AWG 2.83

133.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.43 AWG 31.20

$9.95 AWG 17.80

75.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 AWG 31.68

$10.25 AWG 18.34

72.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 AWG 6.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 AWG 8.97

$4.44 AWG 7.94

12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AWG 3.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.60 AWG 53.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 AWG 30.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.79 AWG 6.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 AWG 44.07

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 AWG 2.55

$1.53 AWG 2.73

-6.54%

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

$26.4K AWG 47.3K

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

$35.5K AWG 63.6K

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

$261 AWG 467

$250 AWG 447

4.35%

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

$131 AWG 234

$48.78 AWG 87.3

167.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 AWG 120

$105 AWG 189

-36.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 AWG 109

$105 AWG 189

-42.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.32 AWG 47.09

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 AWG 23.46

$11.85 AWG 21.21

10.63%

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

$300 AWG 538

$246 AWG 441

22.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K AWG 32.4K

$8,679 AWG 15.5K

108.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 AWG 88.0

$60.0 AWG 107

-18.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 AWG 118

$50.1 AWG 89.6

31.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 AWG 216

$108 AWG 194

11.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 183

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 AWG 1,320

$669 AWG 1,198

10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 AWG 2,506

$577 AWG 1,033

142.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,163 AWG 5,659

$1,451 AWG 2,596

118.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,952 AWG 7,072

$1,361 AWG 2,436

190.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 AWG 3,944

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,736 AWG 3,107

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,909 AWG 3,415

$1,737 AWG 3,108

9.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

12.00%

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

Last update for Aruba: July 26, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Aruba and $669 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: $91.0 in Aruba vs $80.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $526 vs $365 per month, with Oranjestad cheaper across the board.

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 43% in total monthly costs ($2,832 vs $1,985 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: $738 in Aruba versus $669 in Oranjestad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,832 per month in Aruba versus $1,985 in Oranjestad – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,985 in Oranjestad versus $2,832 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 43% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.