How much you'll spend in Aruba and in the United Kingdom
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 the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,555 in Aruba versus $2,453 in the United Kingdom.
Aruba $2,555
United Kingdom $2,453
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,283 in Aruba versus $3,548 in the United Kingdom.
Aruba $4,283
United Kingdom $3,548
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,010 in Aruba versus $4,643 in the United Kingdom.
Aruba $6,010
United Kingdom $4,643
🌍
Living in Aruba is roughly 4% more expensive than in the United Kingdom on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Aruba 89% above, the United Kingdom 82% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.58AWG 33.24
$20.82£15.62
-10.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.7AWG 161
$86.3£64.7
4.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.08AWG 18.04
$10.76£8.07
-6.32%
Cappuccino
$4.95AWG 8.86
$4.87£3.65
1.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08AWG 3.73
$2.55£1.91
-18.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84AWG 3.29
$1.85£1.39
-0.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.73AWG 10.25
$6.75£5.06
-15.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.93AWG 14.20
$6.49£4.87
22.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.77AWG 3.17
$1.64£1.23
7.93%
White Bread(500g)
$2.95AWG 5.28
$1.66£1.24
77.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.34AWG 5.98
$2.17£1.63
53.92%
Eggs
$4.87AWG 8.72
$4.02£3.01
21.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.78AWG 22.86
$9.40£7.05
35.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.63AWG 13.66
$8.99£6.74
-15.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.21AWG 21.84
$14.55£10.92
-16.08%
Apples(1kg)
$4.83AWG 8.64
$2.90£2.17
66.55%
Banana(1kg)
$2.74AWG 4.91
$1.60£1.20
71.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.25AWG 11.18
$2.78£2.08
124.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.19AWG 9.28
$3.39£2.54
53.10%
Potato(1kg)
$3.39AWG 6.07
$1.78£1.34
90.45%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01AWG 3.59
$1.62£1.21
24.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.94AWG 5.27
$1.23£0.92
139.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.39AWG 4.28
$1.66£1.24
43.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.03AWG 17.96
$23.67£17.76
-57.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.08AWG 18.03
$10.67£8.00
-5.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.57AWG 8.17
$3.06£2.30
49.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55AWG 8.15
$3.33£2.50
36.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.49AWG 4.45
$3.34£2.51
-25.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.4AWG 169
$103£77.1
-8.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$19.32AWG 34.58
$5.44£4.08
255.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.91AWG 6.99
$2.36£1.77
65.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.06AWG 39.47
$26.17£19.63
-15.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.39AWG 4.27
$1.95£1.46
22.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3KAWG 47.1K
$38.0K£28.5K
-30.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7KAWG 64.0K
$40.6K£30.5K
-12.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$236AWG 422
$315£236
-25.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$85.5AWG 153
$17.88£13.41
378.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$102AWG 182
$42.77£32.09
138.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$78.8AWG 141
$44.93£33.71
75.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$38.97AWG 69.8
$17.98£13.49
116.74%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18AWG 18.22
$13.06£9.80
-22.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$232AWG 416
$1,753£1,315
-86.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.7KAWG 21.0K
$22.5K£16.9K
-47.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.5AWG 123
$90.4£67.8
-24.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.4AWG 137
$45.49£34.13
67.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$126AWG 226
$101£75.9
24.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121AWG 217
$102£76.4
18.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$985AWG 1,763
$1,339£1,005
-26.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,023AWG 1,831
$1,096£822
-6.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,602AWG 4,656
$2,152£1,615
20.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,639AWG 4,722
$1,699£1,275
55.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,271AWG 4,064
$5,551£4,165
-59.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,762AWG 3,154
$4,374£3,282
-59.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aruba
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,516AWG 4,503
$3,324£2,494
-24.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.25
5.32
17.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aruba: October 10, 2026
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 13, 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
$1K 40%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 44.7% ↑ 7.2%$73
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
$423 16.6%
United Kingdom
$375 15.3% ↓ 11.3%$48
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aruba
$391 15.3%
United Kingdom
$303 12.4% ↓ 22.5%$88
🍽Eating Out
Aruba
$298 11.7%
United Kingdom
$322 13.1% ↑ 7.8%$23
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
$177 6.9%
United Kingdom
$153 6.2% ↓ 13.6%$24
🚌Getting Around
Aruba
$143 5.6%
United Kingdom
$133 5.4% ↓ 6.9%$9.8
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
$99 3.9%
United Kingdom
$71 2.9% ↓ 28.4%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aruba
$2.6K 43.9%
United Kingdom
$1.7K 36.6% ↓ 35.6%$940
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
$509 8.5%
United Kingdom
$393 8.5% ↓ 22.7%$116
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aruba
$888 14.8%
United Kingdom
$695 15% ↓ 21.7%$193
🍽Eating Out
Aruba
$1.1K 17.5%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 23.3% ↑ 2.8%$30
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
$392 6.5%
United Kingdom
$339 7.3% ↓ 13.6%$54
🚌Getting Around
Aruba
$291 4.9%
United Kingdom
$273 5.9% ↓ 6.2%$18
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
$237 4%
United Kingdom
$160 3.5% ↓ 32.6%$77
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $546 in Aruba, $1,252 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $928 in Oranjestad vs $2,869 in London.
💰National salary averages: $2,438 in Aruba, $3,228 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 129% higher in the United Kingdom.
⭐Dining out costs 118% more in the United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 278% more expensive in the United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are 32% higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.
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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Aruba and the United Kingdom?
At $2,555 per month in Aruba and $2,453 in the United Kingdom, there's a 4% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
Overall, the United Kingdom is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Aruba or in the United Kingdom?
In the United Kingdom, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Aruba it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Aruba or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after: the United Kingdom wins on affordability; Aruba may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.