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

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

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

Living in Santa Cruz costs roughly 6% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

$2.09 AWG 3.74

$1.90 AWG 3.41

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 AWG 4.70

$2.93 AWG 5.25

-10.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 AWG 7.99

$2.94 AWG 5.26

51.70%

Eggs

$4.54 AWG 8.12

$5.17 AWG 9.25

-12.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 AWG 14.00

$12.46 AWG 22.31

-37.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 AWG 13.68

$9.19 AWG 16.44

-16.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 AWG 12.08

$11.91 AWG 21.30

-43.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 AWG 8.13

$4.53 AWG 8.11

0.22%

Banana (1kg)

$4.37 AWG 7.82

$2.27 AWG 4.07

92.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.30 AWG 14.84

$5.09 AWG 9.10

63.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.85 AWG 12.25

$3.41 AWG 6.10

100.88%

Potato (1kg)

$6.76 AWG 12.09

$2.16 AWG 3.86

212.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 AWG 3.51

$2.05 AWG 3.68

-4.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 AWG 5.40

$2.56 AWG 4.57

17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.42 AWG 7.91

$1.57 AWG 2.80

181.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.34 AWG 18.51

$10.09 AWG 18.05

2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 AWG 34.50

$9.82 AWG 17.58

96.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 AWG 4.60

$4.04 AWG 7.23

-36.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 AWG 5.43

$4.42 AWG 7.91

-31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 AWG 3.56

$2.22 AWG 3.98

-10.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 AWG 283

$29.96 AWG 53.6

428.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.24 AWG 34.44

$16.67 AWG 29.82

15.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 AWG 7.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.29 AWG 34.53

$25.22 AWG 45.13

-23.51%

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)

$138 AWG 247

$255 AWG 456

-45.88%

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

$72.5 AWG 130

$48.72 AWG 87.2

48.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$200 AWG 359

$104 AWG 187

91.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.6 AWG 126

$106 AWG 190

-33.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.00 AWG 84.1

$26.30 AWG 47.06

78.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 AWG 14.48

$12.06 AWG 21.59

-32.92%

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

$140 AWG 251

$250 AWG 447

-44.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,464 AWG 15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 AWG 137

$59.8 AWG 107

28.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$111 AWG 198

$49.80 AWG 89.1

122.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AWG 245

$108 AWG 193

26.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 AWG 251

$103 AWG 184

36.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AWG 2,269

$670 AWG 1,200

89.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 AWG 1,004

$580 AWG 1,038

-3.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 AWG 2,803

$1,484 AWG 2,655

5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 AWG 2,467

$1,328 AWG 2,377

3.79%

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)

$3,639 AWG 6,512

$1,723 AWG 3,084

111.18%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,268 in Santa Cruz and $670 in Oranjestad. 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

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

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

Santa Cruz pays 111% more on average, 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: $1,268 in Santa Cruz versus $670 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 $1,875 per month in Santa Cruz versus $1,985 in Oranjestad – 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, 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 6% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.