Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Santa Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Santa Cruz

🙂 Solo nomad: Aruba is 3.7% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 50.7% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Aruba is 32.8% more expensive than Santa Cruz without rent, and 83.5% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.22 AWG 23.67

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 AWG 158

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 AWG 17.85

Cappuccino

$4.79 AWG 8.57

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

$2.29 AWG 4.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 AWG 3.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 AWG 7.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 AWG 10.98

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 AWG 4.09

$2.20 AWG 3.93

3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 AWG 6.78

$2.65 AWG 4.74

43.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 AWG 7.07

$4.46 AWG 7.98

-11.43%

Eggs

$5.50 AWG 9.85

$4.71 AWG 8.43

16.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.06 AWG 57.4

$7.92 AWG 14.17

304.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 AWG 11.88

$7.55 AWG 13.52

-12.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 AWG 30.68

$6.54 AWG 11.71

162.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 AWG 10.43

$4.47 AWG 7.99

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 AWG 5.10

$4.54 AWG 8.12

-37.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.98 AWG 12.49

$8.22 AWG 14.72

-15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.15 AWG 14.59

$6.66 AWG 11.92

22.37%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 AWG 7.20

$6.87 AWG 12.29

-41.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 AWG 6.78

$1.96 AWG 3.51

93.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.12 AWG 10.95

$2.98 AWG 5.33

105.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 AWG 6.59

$4.31 AWG 7.72

-14.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.77 AWG 31.82

$10.15 AWG 18.17

75.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 AWG 32.83

$19.50 AWG 34.91

-5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 AWG 4.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 AWG 8.79

$3.14 AWG 5.61

56.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 AWG 3.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$155 AWG 278

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.67 AWG 35.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 AWG 35.24

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 AWG 2.49

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

$256 AWG 459

$141 AWG 252

82.47%

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

$131 AWG 235

$73.1 AWG 131

79.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 AWG 123

$205 AWG 367

-66.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 AWG 109

$69.9 AWG 125

-12.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.61 AWG 83.4

Cinema Ticket

$12.85 AWG 23.01

$8.17 AWG 14.62

57.28%

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

$298 AWG 533

$136 AWG 244

118.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K AWG 32.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.53 AWG 88.7

$77.9 AWG 139

-36.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 AWG 115

$113 AWG 202

-42.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 AWG 218

$140 AWG 251

-13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AWG 247

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 AWG 1,332

$1,259 AWG 2,254

-40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 AWG 2,548

$555 AWG 994

156.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 AWG 5,744

$1,548 AWG 2,771

107.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,061 AWG 7,270

$1,373 AWG 2,458

195.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,905 AWG 3,409

$3,653 AWG 6,539

-47.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Aruba: March 3, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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