Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Aruba

For one person, living costs are similar in Oranjestad and in Aruba: $2,346 and $2,353 a month, rent and utilities included.

Oranjestad, Aruba
Aruba, Aruba
Oranjestad
🇦🇼 Aruba
$2,346
/mo nomad
Aruba
🇦🇼 Aruba
$2,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oranjestad and in Aruba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oranjestad and in Aruba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,346 in Oranjestad versus $2,353 in Aruba.

  • Oranjestad $2,346
  • Aruba $2,353

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,175 in Oranjestad versus $4,233 in Aruba.

  • Oranjestad $4,175
  • Aruba $4,233

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,004 in Oranjestad versus $6,112 in Aruba.

  • Oranjestad $6,004
  • Aruba $6,112

Monthly costs are close between Oranjestad and Aruba; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oranjestad 72% above, Aruba 73% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.02 AWG 39.40
$14.86 AWG 26.58
48.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.3 AWG 142
$90.1 AWG 161
-11.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.15 AWG 18.17
$10.54 AWG 18.86
-3.70%
Cappuccino
$4.33 AWG 7.74
$5.12 AWG 9.15
-15.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 AWG 2.65
$2.42 AWG 4.34
-38.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 AWG 2.99
$2.27 AWG 4.06
-26.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 AWG 5.32
$5.29 AWG 9.48
-43.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 AWG 6.99
$7.19 AWG 12.87
-45.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 AWG 3.43
$1.66 AWG 2.97
15.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 AWG 5.17
$2.85 AWG 5.10
1.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 AWG 5.06
$3.00 AWG 5.37
-5.67%
Eggs
$5.36 AWG 9.59
$3.75 AWG 6.71
42.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.53 AWG 22.42
$14.27 AWG 25.53
-12.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.17 AWG 16.41
$4.15 AWG 7.43
120.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.36 AWG 22.12
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.73 AWG 8.47
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 AWG 4.12
$2.05 AWG 3.67
12.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.11 AWG 9.14
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 AWG 6.37
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 AWG 3.87
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 AWG 3.63
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.59 AWG 4.63
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 AWG 2.84
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.17 AWG 18.19
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 AWG 18.24
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.95 AWG 7.08
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 AWG 7.90
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.14 AWG 3.83
$2.53 AWG 4.53
-15.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.60 AWG 54.8
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$16.76 AWG 30.00
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.90 AWG 6.98
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.70 AWG 44.20
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 AWG 3.67
$2.38 AWG 4.27
-13.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K AWG 47.1K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K AWG 62.5K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$256 AWG 458
$233 AWG 417
9.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.94 AWG 87.6
$132 AWG 236
-62.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$107 AWG 191
$85.2 AWG 152
25.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.3 AWG 113
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.89 AWG 46.32
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.75 AWG 21.02
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$252 AWG 451
$296 AWG 529
-14.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,767 AWG 15.7K
$18.1K AWG 32.4K
-51.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 AWG 105
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 AWG 92.0
$64.5 AWG 115
-20.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 AWG 191
$118 AWG 212
-9.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 AWG 188
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$932 AWG 1,668
$653 AWG 1,169
42.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$967 AWG 1,731
$1,391 AWG 2,489
-30.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,676 AWG 4,790
$3,255 AWG 5,825
-17.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,022 AWG 5,408
$3,978 AWG 7,118
-24.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,284 AWG 4,087
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,709 AWG 3,059
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oranjestad
Aruba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,690 AWG 3,024
$1,938 AWG 3,467
-12.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.25
0
-

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

Last update for Oranjestad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Aruba: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oranjestad
$967
Aruba
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oranjestad
$412
Aruba
–
Groceries & Markets
Oranjestad
$366
Aruba
–
Eating Out
Oranjestad
$294
Aruba
–
Clothing & Footwear
Oranjestad
$145
Aruba
–
Sport & Entertainment
Oranjestad
$87
Aruba
–
Getting Around
Oranjestad
$75
Aruba
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Oranjestad and $653 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 15% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79 in Oranjestad vs $90 in Aruba. Groceries flip the comparison at $366 vs $148, with Aruba cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇦🇼 Oranjestad
🇦🇼 Aruba
🕒 Local time
23:45 11:45 PM
23:45 11:45 PM
Same time as Oranjestad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
35,000 Capital
15,236
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AWG – Aruban Florin Converter

Aruban Florin exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 AWG (1 AWG = 0.559 USD). 1 EUR = 2 AWG (1 AWG = 0.5 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oranjestad Aruba 6 km
From you
  • Oranjestad
  • Aruba

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
Oranjestad vs Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Oranjestad. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Oranjestad and in Aruba?
Rent for a central apartment: $932 in Oranjestad versus $653 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Oranjestad and Aruba?
Childcare runs $252 in Oranjestad versus $296 in Aruba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 60% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $3,000 go in Oranjestad compared to Aruba?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Oranjestad gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Oranjestad or Aruba safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Oranjestad and Aruba are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Oranjestad and Aruba?
It comes down to priorities – Oranjestad wins on affordability, Aruba on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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