Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, Aruba and Noord

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz: $1,886 a month against $2,594 in Noord, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Noord outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Jump to prices

Santa Cruz

🇦🇼 Aruba

$1,886

/mo nomad

Noord

🇦🇼 Aruba

$2,594

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Cruz and in Noord

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

A single person spends $1,886 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,594 in Noord, rent included.

Santa Cruz $1,886
Noord $2,594

A couple spends around $2,900 per month in Santa Cruz vs $4,124 in Noord, rent included.

Santa Cruz $2,900
Noord $4,124

A family of three spends $3,914 per month in Santa Cruz vs $5,654 in Noord, rent included.

Santa Cruz $3,914
Noord $5,654

Santa Cruz is about 27% cheaper than Noord.

Both Santa Cruz and Noord sit above the global median – Santa Cruz by 40%, Noord by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 AWG 44.32

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.9 AWG 168

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 AWG 27.29

Cappuccino

$2.97 AWG 5.31

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

$2.44 AWG 4.37

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 AWG 3.23

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 AWG 13.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.56 AWG 15.32

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 AWG 3.94

$1.84 AWG 3.29

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 AWG 4.73

$2.95 AWG 5.28

-10.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 AWG 7.91

$2.84 AWG 5.08

55.63%

Eggs

$4.78 AWG 8.55

$6.38 AWG 11.41

-25.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 AWG 14.58

$12.36 AWG 22.13

-34.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 AWG 13.77

$9.36 AWG 16.75

-17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 AWG 12.08

$12.32 AWG 22.05

-45.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 AWG 8.08

$4.51 AWG 8.07

0.22%

Banana (1kg)

$4.57 AWG 8.18

$2.20 AWG 3.93

107.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.12 AWG 14.54

$4.87 AWG 8.72

66.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.87 AWG 12.29

$3.54 AWG 6.33

94.07%

Potato (1kg)

$6.70 AWG 11.99

$2.29 AWG 4.11

192.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 AWG 3.39

$1.99 AWG 3.57

-5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 AWG 5.37

$2.57 AWG 4.59

16.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.54 AWG 8.13

$1.60 AWG 2.86

183.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.34 AWG 18.52

$10.08 AWG 18.04

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 AWG 35.06

$9.79 AWG 17.52

100.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 AWG 4.56

$5.50 AWG 9.85

-53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 AWG 5.54

$4.30 AWG 7.69

-28.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 AWG 3.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$154 AWG 276

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.32 AWG 34.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 AWG 35.35

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.76 AWG 4.94

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

$141 AWG 252

$197 AWG 353

-28.64%

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

$71.3 AWG 128

$69.7 AWG 125

2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$207 AWG 371

$102 AWG 182

103.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 AWG 123

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.44 AWG 83.1

Cinema Ticket

$8.39 AWG 15.02

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

$141 AWG 252

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 AWG 141

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$110 AWG 197

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 AWG 251

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 AWG 245

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AWG 2,271

$1,474 AWG 2,638

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 AWG 998

$1,500 AWG 2,685

-62.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 AWG 2,746

$3,171 AWG 5,676

-51.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 AWG 2,519

$3,180 AWG 5,692

-55.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,667 AWG 6,564

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: November 2, 2026

Last update for Noord: November 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,268 in Santa Cruz versus $1,474 in Noord. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇦🇼 Santa Cruz

🇦🇼 Noord

🕒 Local time

12:18 12:18 PM

Same time as Santa Cruz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,236

24,193

💱 Currency

Aruban Florin AWG ƒ

📈 Exchange rate

1 AWG = 0.559 USD

1 AWG = 0.497 EUR

1 AWG = 0.559 USD

1 AWG = 0.497 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Santa Cruz Noord 8 km

From you

Santa Cruz
Noord

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

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

Noord costs about 38% more than Santa Cruz, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,829 per month in Santa Cruz and $3,892 in Noord. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,268 there versus $1,474 in Noord.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,886 in Santa Cruz and $2,594 in Noord. That makes Santa Cruz about 27% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Noord – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,886 in Santa Cruz and $2,594 in Noord, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Noord has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,886 in Santa Cruz to $2,594 in Noord. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.