Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Upper Marlboro, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Upper Marlboro, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,823 in Aruba versus $2,575 in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,057 in Aruba versus $3,879 in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,290 in Aruba versus $5,183 in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Living in Aruba is roughly 10% more expensive than Upper Marlboro, MD, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 111% above, Upper Marlboro, MD 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 AWG 23.20

$20.29 $20.29

-36.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.9 AWG 159

$79.4 $79.4

11.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 AWG 18.09

$12.19 $12.19

-17.06%

Cappuccino

$4.70 AWG 8.42

$5.89 $5.89

-20.20%

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

$2.29 AWG 4.10

$2.87 $2.87

-20.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 AWG 3.59

$2.24 $2.24

-10.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 AWG 7.81

$5.91 $5.91

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 AWG 11.05

$7.81 $7.81

-21.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 AWG 4.29

$1.00 $1.00

140.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 AWG 6.91

$4.40 $4.40

-12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 AWG 7.13

$5.91 $5.91

-32.49%

Eggs

$5.65 AWG 10.11

$4.80 $4.80

17.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.07 AWG 57.4

$17.90 $17.90

79.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 AWG 11.55

$10.07 $10.07

-35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 AWG 30.82

$16.48 $16.48

4.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 AWG 10.66

$5.11 $5.11

16.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 AWG 5.29

$1.77 $1.77

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.90 AWG 12.36

$5.12 $5.12

34.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.04 AWG 14.39

$6.60 $6.60

21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 AWG 6.96

$3.40 $3.40

14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 AWG 6.89

$2.78 $2.78

38.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.83 AWG 10.44

$2.20 $2.20

165.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 AWG 6.80

$2.57 $2.57

47.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.27 AWG 30.92

$10.90 $10.90

58.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 AWG 32.81

$13.84 $13.84

32.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 AWG 8.69

$4.61 $4.61

5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.66 $29.66

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 AWG 2.48

$0.96 $0.96

43.75%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

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

$25.9K $25.9K

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

$258 AWG 463

$208 $208

24.11%

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

$133 AWG 238

$63.4 $63.4

109.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 AWG 120

$73.5 $73.5

-8.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 AWG 107

$43.02 $43.02

39.21%

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 AWG 23.57

$15.26 $15.26

-13.70%

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

$302 AWG 540

$1,747 $1,747

-82.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K AWG 31.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

-26.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 AWG 91.3

$54.0 $54.0

-5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 AWG 115

$49.80 $49.80

28.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 AWG 218

$95.6 $95.6

27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 AWG 1,290

$1,414 $1,414

-49.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 AWG 2,474

$1,150 $1,150

20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,173 AWG 5,680

$2,666 $2,666

19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,038 AWG 7,227

$2,244 $2,244

79.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,321 $2,321

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 $2,257

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,928 AWG 3,452

$8,135 $8,135

-76.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

8.02%

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

Last update for Aruba: April 22, 2026

Last update for Upper Marlboro, MD: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Aruba and $1,414 in Upper Marlboro, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Upper Marlboro, MD pays 322% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89 in Aruba vs $79 in Upper Marlboro, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $531 vs $446 per month, with Upper Marlboro, MD 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 Upper Marlboro, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aruba and Upper Marlboro, MD differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,823 vs $2,575 including rent). Upper Marlboro, MD is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Upper Marlboro, MD earns 322% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Aruba versus $1,414 in Upper Marlboro, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,823 per month in Aruba versus $2,575 in Upper Marlboro, MD – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,575 in Upper Marlboro, MD versus $2,823 in Aruba, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Upper Marlboro, MD but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Upper Marlboro, MD 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 Upper Marlboro, MD 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 Upper Marlboro, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.