Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Aruba Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Aruba

Name: Aruba
Address: AW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $1,077 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in China versus $1,765 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,553 in China versus $2,453 in Aruba.

Living in China costs about 34% less than in Aruba on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Aruba 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.31

$16.05 AWG 28.73

-83.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ¥157

$89.4 AWG 160

-74.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ¥33.78

$9.97 AWG 17.84

-49.85%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.84

$4.24 AWG 7.58

-27.36%

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

$0.48 ¥3.24

$1.89 AWG 3.39

-74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.77 AWG 3.16

-83.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$3.60 AWG 6.44

-72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.21

$5.20 AWG 9.30

-59.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.80

$1.93 AWG 3.45

-9.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.25

$2.98 AWG 5.34

-43.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.67

$3.87 AWG 6.93

-74.42%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.60

$4.77 AWG 8.53

-67.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.3

$21.86 AWG 39.12

-40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ¥22.38

$7.29 AWG 13.04

-54.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ¥73.1

$13.38 AWG 23.95

-19.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.01

$5.26 AWG 9.41

-66.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.39

$3.20 AWG 5.72

-61.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.17

$6.91 AWG 12.36

-78.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.11

$6.54 AWG 11.70

-81.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.16

$3.90 AWG 6.99

-80.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$2.49 AWG 4.46

-63.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$4.13 AWG 7.38

-85.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$2.87 AWG 5.14

-81.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.28

$10.19 AWG 18.24

-66.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 ¥80.7

$10.13 AWG 18.13

17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.57

$3.54 AWG 6.33

-76.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.15

$4.82 AWG 8.62

-65.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$3.06 AWG 5.48

-85.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥140

$93.0 AWG 166

-77.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.32

$19.06 AWG 34.11

-92.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$4.88 AWG 8.73

-93.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ¥45.50

$24.96 AWG 44.67

-73.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.40 AWG 2.51

-19.29%

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

$19.6K ¥132.5K

$26.3K AWG 47.1K

-25.51%

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

$16.8K ¥113.5K

$35.8K AWG 64.1K

-53.15%

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

$50.7 ¥343

$224 AWG 401

-77.40%

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

$10.12 ¥68.4

$85.7 AWG 153

-88.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 ¥77.2

$94.2 AWG 169

-87.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.33 ¥272

$77.0 AWG 138

-47.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 ¥98.5

$39.14 AWG 70.1

-62.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 ¥43.26

$9.82 AWG 17.58

-34.83%

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

$417 ¥2,817

$225 AWG 403

84.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.5K

$11.7K AWG 20.9K

47.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 ¥308

$63.2 AWG 113

-27.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 ¥218

$76.0 AWG 136

-57.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥493

$127 AWG 227

-42.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ¥497

$120 AWG 215

-38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 ¥2,925

$815 AWG 1,458

-46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,765

$589 AWG 1,053

-55.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 ¥6,115

$1,596 AWG 2,856

-43.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ¥3,599

$1,457 AWG 2,607

-63.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,965 ¥33.5K

$2,211 AWG 3,956

124.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 ¥17.0K

$1,747 AWG 3,127

44.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 ¥7,181

$2,440 AWG 4,366

-56.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

6.5

-37.54%

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

Last update for China: June 15, 2026

Last update for Aruba: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $538 in Aruba. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $673 in Oranjestad.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $2,401 in Aruba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 87% higher in Aruba.

Dining out costs 67% more in Aruba.

Public transport is 28% more expensive in Aruba.

Salaries are 179% higher in Aruba, giving Aruba stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,431 per month in Aruba and $862 in China, there's a 66% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.

Rent in Aruba beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Aruba, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Aruba may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.