Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Aruba Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Aruba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,290 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $2,799 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,092 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $5,039 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,894 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $7,279 in Aruba.

Living in Fort Lauderdale, FL is roughly 18% more expensive than Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lauderdale, FL 145% above, Aruba 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.86 $20.86

$13.18 AWG 23.60

58.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$89.2 AWG 160

21.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 $10.64

$10.04 AWG 17.96

5.98%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$4.90 AWG 8.77

-1.02%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$2.31 AWG 4.13

16.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.09 AWG 3.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$4.19 AWG 7.50

43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$6.26 AWG 11.20

4.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.39 AWG 4.27

-59.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.72 AWG 6.66

11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.92 AWG 7.02

-14.54%

Eggs

$3.83 $3.83

$5.61 AWG 10.04

-31.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$32.39 AWG 58.0

-63.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$6.51 AWG 11.66

44.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 $18.94

$16.71 AWG 29.91

13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$5.92 AWG 10.60

-7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.92 AWG 5.23

-47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.95 AWG 12.44

-37.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$8.23 AWG 14.73

-34.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.08 AWG 7.31

-14.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.76 AWG 6.74

-7.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$6.09 AWG 10.90

-63.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.85 AWG 6.89

-47.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 $9.91

$17.75 AWG 31.76

-44.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 $10.55

$18.08 AWG 32.36

-41.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$5.07 AWG 9.07

-45.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 $2.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 $71.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 $4.46

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 $21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.41 AWG 2.53

-41.13%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

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

$25.1K $25.1K

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

$172 $172

$257 AWG 460

-33.13%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$131 AWG 234

-55.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$66.5 AWG 119

4.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.8 $74.8

$60.3 AWG 108

24.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.45 $13.45

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$12.87 AWG 23.03

14.37%

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

$810 $810

$304 AWG 544

166.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$17.7K AWG 31.7K

-10.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 $47.39

$49.48 AWG 88.6

-4.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.53 $45.53

$65.5 AWG 117

-30.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$122 AWG 219

-27.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 $95.2

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$733 AWG 1,312

213.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,390 AWG 2,487

41.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,674 $3,674

$3,140 AWG 5,621

17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,627 $3,627

$4,018 AWG 7,191

-9.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,363 $5,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,159 $4,159

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,530 $4,530

$1,895 AWG 3,391

139.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

-6.71%

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

Last update for Fort Lauderdale, FL: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aruba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,298 in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $733 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lauderdale, FL pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $109 in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $89.0 in Aruba. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $532, with Fort Lauderdale, FL cheaper for home cooking.

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

Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Lauderdale, FL and Aruba differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($3,290 vs $2,799 including rent). Aruba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Fort Lauderdale, FL pays 139% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,298 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $733 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Fort Lauderdale, FL pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,290 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $2,799 in Aruba – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,799 in Aruba versus $3,290 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Aruba but tight or insufficient in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Aruba 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, Fort Lauderdale, FL and Aruba 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 Aruba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.