Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Santa Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Santa Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,960 in Oranjestad versus $1,896 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,171 in Oranjestad versus $2,900 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,382 in Oranjestad versus $3,904 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 3% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oranjestad 47% above, Santa Cruz 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 AWG 33.60

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 AWG 144

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 AWG 18.54

Cappuccino

$3.79 AWG 6.78

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

$1.40 AWG 2.50

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 AWG 2.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 AWG 5.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 AWG 7.36

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 AWG 3.36

$2.16 AWG 3.86

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 AWG 5.47

$2.67 AWG 4.78

14.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 AWG 5.22

$4.51 AWG 8.08

-35.25%

Eggs

$5.49 AWG 9.82

$4.76 AWG 8.53

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 AWG 22.59

$8.22 AWG 14.71

53.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 AWG 16.41

$7.31 AWG 13.09

25.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 AWG 21.34

$6.69 AWG 11.98

78.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 AWG 8.19

$4.51 AWG 8.07

1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 AWG 4.00

$4.42 AWG 7.91

-49.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.10 AWG 9.12

$8.22 AWG 14.71

-37.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 AWG 6.30

$6.84 AWG 12.24

-48.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 AWG 3.94

$6.55 AWG 11.72

-66.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 AWG 3.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 AWG 4.78

$3.08 AWG 5.51

-13.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 AWG 2.75

$4.39 AWG 7.86

-64.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 AWG 18.23

$10.08 AWG 18.03

1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 AWG 17.77

$19.08 AWG 34.15

-47.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 AWG 6.89

$2.55 AWG 4.56

50.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 AWG 8.07

$2.98 AWG 5.32

51.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 AWG 4.03

$1.92 AWG 3.43

17.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.69 AWG 53.1

$154 AWG 276

-80.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.01 AWG 30.44

$19.72 AWG 35.28

-13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.93 AWG 7.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 AWG 44.12

$19.11 AWG 34.20

28.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

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

$26.2K AWG 46.9K

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

$35.7K AWG 63.9K

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

$253 AWG 452

$139 AWG 249

81.38%

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

$47.70 AWG 85.4

$70.9 AWG 127

-32.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 AWG 192

$207 AWG 371

-48.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 AWG 192

$69.9 AWG 125

53.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.11 AWG 46.73

$47.83 AWG 85.6

-45.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 AWG 21.45

$8.27 AWG 14.80

44.86%

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

$247 AWG 442

$140 AWG 250

76.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,615 AWG 15.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 AWG 109

$76.1 AWG 136

-20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 AWG 90.5

$109 AWG 196

-53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 AWG 192

$138 AWG 246

-22.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 183

$140 AWG 250

-26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 AWG 1,224

$1,299 AWG 2,325

-47.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 AWG 1,042

$547 AWG 979

6.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 AWG 2,627

$1,571 AWG 2,811

-6.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 AWG 2,455

$1,379 AWG 2,467

-0.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 AWG 3,971

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,731 AWG 3,098

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,701 AWG 3,045

$3,569 AWG 6,386

-52.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

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

Last update for Oranjestad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Oranjestad and $1,299 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 110% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local 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

Oranjestad vs Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oranjestad and Santa Cruz differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,960 vs $1,896 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Santa Cruz. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Oranjestad versus $1,299 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Oranjestad pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,960 per month in Oranjestad versus $1,896 in Santa Cruz – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,896 in Santa Cruz versus $1,960 in Oranjestad, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz 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, Oranjestad and Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.