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: $1,911 in Santa Cruz versus $2,327 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,885 in Santa Cruz versus $4,137 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,859 in Santa Cruz versus $5,946 in Oranjestad.

Living in Santa Cruz costs roughly 18% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Cruz 39% above, Oranjestad 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.37 AWG 40.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 AWG 141

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 AWG 18.30

Cappuccino

$4.35 AWG 7.78

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

$1.46 AWG 2.62

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 AWG 3.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 AWG 7.27

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 AWG 3.89

$1.83 AWG 3.28

19.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 AWG 4.84

$2.91 AWG 5.22

-6.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 AWG 7.90

$2.86 AWG 5.12

54.55%

Eggs

$4.53 AWG 8.11

$5.45 AWG 9.76

-16.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 AWG 14.19

$12.42 AWG 22.24

-36.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 AWG 13.15

$9.39 AWG 16.81

-21.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 AWG 12.18

$11.96 AWG 21.40

-43.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 AWG 7.72

$4.54 AWG 8.12

-5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$4.40 AWG 7.87

$2.23 AWG 4.00

97.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.26 AWG 14.78

$4.87 AWG 8.71

69.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 AWG 11.92

$3.55 AWG 6.35

87.61%

Potato (1kg)

$6.77 AWG 12.12

$2.21 AWG 3.95

206.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 AWG 3.49

$2.04 AWG 3.65

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 AWG 5.58

$2.54 AWG 4.54

22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 AWG 7.90

$1.59 AWG 2.84

177.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 AWG 18.38

$10.17 AWG 18.20

0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 AWG 34.51

$10.19 AWG 18.25

89.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 AWG 4.60

$3.99 AWG 7.14

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 AWG 5.58

$4.44 AWG 7.95

-29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 AWG 3.56

$2.24 AWG 4.01

-11.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 AWG 282

$29.73 AWG 53.2

429.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.46 AWG 34.83

$16.96 AWG 30.36

14.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.95 AWG 7.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.29 AWG 34.53

$25.32 AWG 45.32

-23.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 AWG 3.53

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

$25.6K AWG 45.9K

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

$34.9K AWG 62.4K

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

$141 AWG 253

$257 AWG 459

-44.96%

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

$73.5 AWG 132

$48.04 AWG 86.0

52.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$204 AWG 365

$107 AWG 192

90.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.9 AWG 125

$63.0 AWG 113

10.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.77 AWG 85.5

$25.64 AWG 45.89

86.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 AWG 15.19

$11.99 AWG 21.47

-29.19%

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

$138 AWG 248

$245 AWG 439

-43.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,540 AWG 15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 AWG 141

$59.5 AWG 107

32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$112 AWG 201

$50.5 AWG 90.4

122.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 AWG 252

$109 AWG 195

28.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AWG 247

$102 AWG 182

35.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 AWG 2,321

$922 AWG 1,650

40.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 AWG 998

$963 AWG 1,724

-42.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 AWG 2,764

$2,670 AWG 4,780

-42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 AWG 2,451

$3,053 AWG 5,466

-55.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 AWG 4,054

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,757 AWG 3,145

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 AWG 6,425

$1,733 AWG 3,103

107.08%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Santa Cruz and $922 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 107% 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,911 vs $2,327 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 107% 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: $1,297 in Santa Cruz versus $922 in Oranjestad. 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 $1,911 per month in Santa Cruz versus $2,327 in Oranjestad – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,911 in Santa Cruz versus $2,327 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 22% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.