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: $1,985 in Oranjestad versus $1,875 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,129 in Oranjestad versus $2,911 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Oranjestad versus $3,947 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 6% more expensive than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oranjestad 48% above, Santa Cruz 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.32 AWG 34.57

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 AWG 146

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 AWG 18.27

Cappuccino

$3.68 AWG 6.58

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

$1.46 AWG 2.61

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 AWG 2.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 AWG 5.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 AWG 7.20

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 AWG 3.41

$2.09 AWG 3.74

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$2.63 AWG 4.70

11.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 AWG 5.26

$4.46 AWG 7.99

-34.08%

Eggs

$5.17 AWG 9.25

$4.54 AWG 8.12

13.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 AWG 22.31

$7.82 AWG 14.00

59.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 AWG 16.44

$7.64 AWG 13.68

20.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 AWG 21.30

$6.75 AWG 12.08

76.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 AWG 8.11

$4.54 AWG 8.13

-0.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 AWG 4.07

$4.37 AWG 7.82

-48.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.09 AWG 9.10

$8.30 AWG 14.84

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.10

$6.85 AWG 12.25

-50.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 AWG 3.86

$6.76 AWG 12.09

-68.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 AWG 3.68

$1.96 AWG 3.51

4.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 AWG 4.57

$3.02 AWG 5.40

-15.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 AWG 2.80

$4.42 AWG 7.91

-64.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 AWG 18.05

$10.34 AWG 18.51

-2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 AWG 17.58

$19.28 AWG 34.50

-49.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 AWG 7.23

$2.57 AWG 4.60

57.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 AWG 7.91

$3.03 AWG 5.43

45.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AWG 3.98

$1.99 AWG 3.56

11.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 AWG 53.6

$158 AWG 283

-81.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.67 AWG 29.82

$19.24 AWG 34.44

-13.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 AWG 7.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.22 AWG 45.13

$19.29 AWG 34.53

30.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 AWG 2.62

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

$25.7K AWG 46.0K

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

$35.6K AWG 63.7K

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

$255 AWG 456

$138 AWG 247

84.76%

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

$48.72 AWG 87.2

$72.5 AWG 130

-32.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 AWG 187

$200 AWG 359

-47.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 AWG 190

$70.6 AWG 126

50.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 AWG 47.06

$47.00 AWG 84.1

-44.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 AWG 21.59

$8.09 AWG 14.48

49.07%

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

$250 AWG 447

$140 AWG 251

78.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,464 AWG 15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 AWG 107

$76.6 AWG 137

-21.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 AWG 89.1

$111 AWG 198

-54.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 193

$137 AWG 245

-21.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 AWG 184

$140 AWG 251

-26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 AWG 1,200

$1,268 AWG 2,269

-47.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 AWG 1,038

$561 AWG 1,004

3.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 AWG 2,655

$1,566 AWG 2,803

-5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 AWG 2,377

$1,379 AWG 2,467

-3.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,273 AWG 4,068

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,700 AWG 3,043

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,723 AWG 3,084

$3,639 AWG 6,512

-52.65%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $670 in Oranjestad and $1,268 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 111% 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,985 vs $1,875 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Cruz earns 111% less. 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: $670 in Oranjestad versus $1,268 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Oranjestad pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,985 per month in Oranjestad versus $1,875 in Santa Cruz – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,875 in Santa Cruz versus $1,985 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 6% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.