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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Santa Cruz costs roughly 3% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

$2.16 AWG 3.86

$1.88 AWG 3.36

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 AWG 4.78

$3.06 AWG 5.47

-12.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 AWG 8.08

$2.92 AWG 5.22

54.45%

Eggs

$4.76 AWG 8.53

$5.49 AWG 9.82

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 AWG 14.71

$12.62 AWG 22.59

-34.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 AWG 13.09

$9.17 AWG 16.41

-20.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.69 AWG 11.98

$11.92 AWG 21.34

-43.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 AWG 8.07

$4.58 AWG 8.19

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$4.42 AWG 7.91

$2.23 AWG 4.00

98.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.22 AWG 14.71

$5.10 AWG 9.12

61.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 AWG 12.24

$3.52 AWG 6.30

94.32%

Potato (1kg)

$6.55 AWG 11.72

$2.20 AWG 3.94

197.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 AWG 3.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 AWG 5.51

$2.67 AWG 4.78

15.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.39 AWG 7.86

$1.54 AWG 2.75

185.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 AWG 18.03

$10.19 AWG 18.23

-1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 AWG 34.15

$9.93 AWG 17.77

92.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 AWG 4.56

$3.85 AWG 6.89

-33.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 AWG 5.32

$4.51 AWG 8.07

-33.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 AWG 3.43

$2.25 AWG 4.03

-14.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$154 AWG 276

$29.69 AWG 53.1

420.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.72 AWG 35.28

$17.01 AWG 30.44

15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.93 AWG 7.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.11 AWG 34.20

$24.65 AWG 44.12

-22.47%

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)

$139 AWG 249

$253 AWG 452

-44.87%

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

$70.9 AWG 127

$47.70 AWG 85.4

48.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$207 AWG 371

$107 AWG 192

92.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.9 AWG 125

$107 AWG 192

-34.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.83 AWG 85.6

$26.11 AWG 46.73

83.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 AWG 14.80

$11.98 AWG 21.45

-30.97%

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

$140 AWG 250

$247 AWG 442

-43.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,615 AWG 15.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 AWG 136

$60.7 AWG 109

25.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$109 AWG 196

$50.6 AWG 90.5

116.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 AWG 246

$107 AWG 192

28.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 AWG 250

$102 AWG 183

36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 AWG 2,325

$684 AWG 1,224

89.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 AWG 979

$582 AWG 1,042

-6.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 AWG 2,811

$1,468 AWG 2,627

6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 AWG 2,467

$1,372 AWG 2,455

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)

$3,569 AWG 6,386

$1,701 AWG 3,045

109.76%

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 Santa Cruz: July 13, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,299 in Santa Cruz and $684 in Oranjestad. 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

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

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

Average pay runs 110% higher in Santa Cruz, 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: $1,299 in Santa Cruz versus $684 in Oranjestad. 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 $1,896 per month in Santa Cruz versus $1,960 in Oranjestad – 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, Santa Cruz and Oranjestad 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.