🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,082 in Aruba versus $2,642 in United States.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,780 in Aruba versus $3,857 in United States.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,478 in Aruba versus $5,072 in United States.
🌍Living in Aruba costs about 59% less than in United States on average.
📊Aruba (19% below) and United States (98% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aruba
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.63AWG 27.96
$19.63$19.63
-20.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.9AWG 161
$75.4$75.4
19.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.98AWG 17.86
$11.57$11.57
-13.74%
Cappuccino
$4.28AWG 7.66
$5.22$5.22
-18.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87AWG 3.35
$2.49$2.49
-24.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72AWG 3.08
$2.06$2.06
-16.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.57AWG 6.39
$5.91$5.91
-39.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.08AWG 9.09
$7.13$7.13
-28.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aruba
United States
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.90AWG 3.40
$1.09$1.09
74.31%
White Bread(500g)
$3.02AWG 5.40
$3.56$3.56
-15.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.76AWG 6.73
$4.74$4.74
-20.68%
Eggs
$4.98AWG 8.91
$4.34$4.34
14.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.50AWG 40.26
$12.68$12.68
77.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.43AWG 13.30
$12.28$12.28
-39.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.38AWG 23.95
$16.60$16.60
-19.40%
Apples(1kg)
$5.26AWG 9.40
$5.16$5.16
1.94%
Banana(1kg)
$3.12AWG 5.58
$1.70$1.70
83.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.25AWG 12.97
$4.45$4.45
62.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.44AWG 11.52
$4.80$4.80
34.17%
Potato(1kg)
$3.95AWG 7.07
$2.93$2.93
34.81%
Onion(1kg)
$2.60AWG 4.65
$3.09$3.09
-15.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.06AWG 7.26
$2.22$2.22
82.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.88AWG 5.16
$2.25$2.25
28.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.11AWG 18.10
$9.90$9.90
2.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.82AWG 17.58
$15.28$15.28
-35.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.44AWG 6.15
$1.91$1.91
80.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.73AWG 8.47
$3.58$3.58
32.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Aruba
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.96AWG 5.30
$2.46$2.46
20.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$91.2AWG 163
$64.6$64.6
41.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$19.26AWG 34.46
$3.77$3.77
410.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$5.04AWG 9.01
$1.71$1.71
194.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.78AWG 44.35
$30.08$30.08
-17.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45AWG 2.60
$0.96$0.96
51.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9KAWG 46.4K
$29.9K$29.9K
-13.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7KAWG 62.2K
$26.1K$26.1K
32.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aruba
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$222AWG 397
$210$210
5.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$85.3AWG 153
$56.3$56.3
51.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$95.2AWG 170
$72.9$72.9
30.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aruba
United States
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$76.9AWG 138
$45.39$45.39
69.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$39.17AWG 70.1
$21.60$21.60
81.34%
Cinema Ticket
$10.08AWG 18.04
$14.04$14.04
-28.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aruba
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226AWG 404
$1,377$1,377
-83.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KAWG 20.6K
$22.4K$22.4K
-48.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aruba
United States
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.7AWG 114
$52.7$52.7
20.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.9AWG 136
$42.41$42.41
78.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$126AWG 226
$91.8$91.8
37.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120AWG 215
$114$114
5.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aruba
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$807AWG 1,444
$1,765$1,765
-54.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$584AWG 1,044
$1,462$1,462
-60.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,593AWG 2,851
$2,849$2,849
-44.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,473AWG 2,636
$2,369$2,369
-37.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,264AWG 4,052
$3,364$3,364
-32.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,766AWG 3,161
$2,665$2,665
-33.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aruba
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,531AWG 4,529
$4,378$4,378
-42.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.5
6.51
-0.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aruba: July 12, 2026
Last update for United States: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $543 in Aruba, $1,635 in United States. Capital cities: $684 in Oranjestad vs $1,625 in Washington, MI.
💰National salary averages: $2,403 in Aruba, $4,500 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 201% higher in United States.
⭐Dining out costs 109% more in United States.
⭐Salaries are 87% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Aruba.
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 States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Aruba and United States?
At $1,437 per month in Aruba and $3,259 in United States, there's a 127% gap. 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 simply cheaper in Aruba: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. 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 in United States is consistently higher than in Aruba across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Aruba or in United States?
In Aruba, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in United States 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 United States?
It depends on what you're after: Aruba wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.