For one person, living is cheaper in Spain: $1,775 a month against $2,591 in Aruba, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aruba and in Spain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,591 in Aruba versus $1,775 in Spain.
Aruba $2,591
Spain $1,775
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,489 in Aruba versus $2,606 in Spain.
Aruba $4,489
Spain $2,606
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,386 in Aruba versus $3,438 in Spain.
Aruba $6,386
Spain $3,438
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Aruba: monthly costs span $136 to $2,559, compared to $931–$2,610 in Spain. City choice carries more weight in Aruba.
🌍
Living in Aruba is roughly 46% more expensive than in Spain on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Aruba 90% above, Spain 30% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.73AWG 33.51
$16.69€14.95
12.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.9AWG 161
$55.7€49.88
61.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.69AWG 19.12
$11.37€10.18
-5.98%
Cappuccino
$4.40AWG 7.88
$2.42€2.16
81.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06AWG 3.68
$2.68€2.40
-23.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87AWG 3.34
$1.79€1.60
4.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.14AWG 9.20
$3.42€3.07
50.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.83AWG 14.02
$3.88€3.47
101.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.80AWG 3.22
$1.20€1.07
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.94AWG 5.26
$1.48€1.33
98.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.39AWG 6.06
$1.67€1.50
102.99%
Eggs
$5.01AWG 8.96
$3.42€3.06
46.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.09AWG 23.42
$14.17€12.69
-7.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.27AWG 13.02
$8.33€7.46
-12.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.24AWG 21.89
$16.20€14.51
-24.44%
Apples(1kg)
$4.69AWG 8.39
$2.45€2.20
91.43%
Banana(1kg)
$2.79AWG 4.99
$2.03€1.82
37.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.34AWG 11.34
$2.08€1.86
204.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.22AWG 9.34
$2.58€2.31
102.33%
Potato(1kg)
$3.54AWG 6.33
$1.83€1.64
93.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.04AWG 3.65
$2.00€1.79
2.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.86AWG 5.12
$1.31€1.17
118.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47AWG 4.43
$0.77€0.69
220.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.17AWG 18.21
$6.36€5.70
59.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.18AWG 18.22
$5.64€5.05
80.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.61AWG 8.24
$1.30€1.17
254.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38AWG 7.84
$2.09€1.87
109.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Aruba
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.46AWG 4.40
$1.64€1.47
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$92.6AWG 166
$32.91€29.48
181.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$19.67AWG 35.21
$4.43€3.96
344.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.91AWG 7.00
$1.47€1.31
165.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.07AWG 39.49
$24.98€22.38
-11.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.48AWG 4.44
$1.77€1.59
40.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6KAWG 47.6K
$35.5K€31.8K
-25.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.9KAWG 64.3K
$30.6K€27.4K
17.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$230AWG 411
$149€134
53.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$82.8AWG 148
$17.67€15.83
368.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$98.4AWG 176
$31.88€28.55
208.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$78.7AWG 141
$44.24€39.62
77.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.97AWG 67.9
$15.29€13.70
148.33%
Cinema Ticket
$9.91AWG 17.73
$9.66€8.65
2.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$227AWG 407
$544€487
-58.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.7KAWG 20.9K
$10.6K€9,499
9.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.3AWG 124
$84.9€76.0
-18.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.4AWG 140
$37.11€33.24
111.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$128AWG 230
$89.2€79.9
44.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125AWG 223
$106€94.7
17.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aruba
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,140AWG 2,040
$1,056€946
7.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,075AWG 1,924
$808€723
33.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,838AWG 5,079
$1,621€1,452
75.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$3,036AWG 5,433
$1,246€1,116
143.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,240AWG 4,009
$4,135€3,704
-45.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,698AWG 3,038
$2,633€2,358
-35.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aruba
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,443AWG 4,372
$1,999€1,790
22.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.25
3.3
89.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aruba: October 26, 2026
Last update for Spain: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aruba
$1.1K 41.5%
Spain
$808 45.5% ↓ 24.9%$268
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
$411 15.9%
Spain
$199 11.2% ↓ 51.6%$212
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aruba
$393 15.2%
Spain
$272 15.3% ↓ 30.9%$121
🍽Eating Out
Aruba
$292 11.3%
Spain
$239 13.5% ↓ 18%$52
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
$180 7%
Spain
$143 8% ↓ 20.9%$38
🚌Getting Around
Aruba
$142 5.5%
Spain
$51 2.9% ↓ 63.8%$90
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
$99 3.8%
Spain
$64 3.6% ↓ 35.5%$35
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aruba
$3K 47.5%
Spain
$1.2K 36.3% ↓ 59%$1.8K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
$494 7.7%
Spain
$217 6.3% ↓ 56.1%$277
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aruba
$891 14%
Spain
$646 18.8% ↓ 27.4%$244
🍽Eating Out
Aruba
$1K 16.3%
Spain
$763 22.2% ↓ 26.7%$278
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
$401 6.3%
Spain
$317 9.2% ↓ 20.9%$84
🚌Getting Around
Aruba
$288 4.5%
Spain
$106 3.1% ↓ 63.3%$182
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
$235 3.7%
Spain
$142 4.1% ↓ 39.4%$93
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,087 in Aruba, $920 in Spain. Capital cities: $932 in Oranjestad vs $1,508 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $2,395 in Aruba, $1,972 in Spain. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 18% higher in Aruba.
⭐Dining out costs 37% more in Aruba.
⭐Public transport is 200% more expensive in Aruba.
⭐Salaries are 21% higher in Aruba, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Aruba and Spain?
At $2,591 per month in Aruba and $1,775 in Spain, Spain comes out about 32% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Spain: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,087 in Aruba and $920 in Spain. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to Aruba or to Spain?
It depends on what you’re after: Spain wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.