Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Aruba Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Aruba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,412 in United Kingdom versus $1,066 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,533 in United Kingdom versus $1,830 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,653 in United Kingdom versus $2,593 in Aruba.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 126% more expensive than in Aruba on average.

United Kingdom (76% above) and Aruba (22% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.35 £15.84
$18.60 AWG 33.30
14.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.2 £64.7
$89.0 AWG 159
-2.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.72 £7.95
$10.16 AWG 18.19
5.51%
Cappuccino
$4.79 £3.55
$4.93 AWG 8.82
-2.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 £1.91
$2.14 AWG 3.83
20.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 £1.35
$1.81 AWG 3.23
0.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 £4.91
$5.49 AWG 9.82
20.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.90 £5.12
$7.88 AWG 14.10
-12.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.25
$1.79 AWG 3.20
-6.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 £1.30
$3.00 AWG 5.37
-41.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 £1.69
$3.38 AWG 6.05
-32.54%
Eggs
$4.09 £3.04
$5.03 AWG 9.00
-18.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.88 £7.33
$12.68 AWG 22.71
-22.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.44 £7.00
$7.50 AWG 13.42
25.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.89 £11.05
$12.03 AWG 21.53
23.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 £2.21
$4.68 AWG 8.37
-36.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 £1.25
$2.84 AWG 5.09
-40.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 £2.08
$6.33 AWG 11.33
-55.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.48 £2.58
$5.05 AWG 9.04
-31.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 £1.31
$3.43 AWG 6.14
-48.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 £1.23
$1.93 AWG 3.45
-13.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 £0.90
$2.82 AWG 5.05
-56.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 £1.27
$2.43 AWG 4.35
-29.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.99 £17.79
$10.14 AWG 18.15
136.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.05 £8.19
$9.85 AWG 17.64
12.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.07 £2.28
$4.52 AWG 8.10
-32.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 £2.49
$4.56 AWG 8.16
-26.32%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.34 £2.47
$2.44 AWG 4.36
36.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 £76.6
$91.5 AWG 164
12.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 £3.93
$19.21 AWG 34.38
-72.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 £1.60
$3.79 AWG 6.79
-43.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.14 £20.13
$21.81 AWG 39.03
24.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 £1.44
$2.19 AWG 3.92
-10.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.5K £29.3K
$26.2K AWG 46.9K
50.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8K £30.3K
$35.3K AWG 63.2K
15.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$326 £242
$232 AWG 416
40.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.25 £13.54
$85.7 AWG 153
-78.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.65 £31.64
$99.0 AWG 177
-56.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.53 £34.51
$77.5 AWG 139
-39.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.19 £13.49
$39.38 AWG 70.5
-53.81%
Cinema Ticket
$13.50 £10.01
$10.07 AWG 18.02
34.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,734 £1,286
$228 AWG 408
660.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K £17.3K
$11.8K AWG 21.1K
97.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.6 £68.0
$69.6 AWG 125
31.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.91 £34.79
$76.5 AWG 137
-38.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £78.5
$127 AWG 227
-16.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 £75.0
$122 AWG 219
-17.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,365 £1,013
$1,009 AWG 1,807
35.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 £822
$996 AWG 1,784
11.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,209 £1,639
$2,632 AWG 4,711
-16.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,779 £1,320
$2,622 AWG 4,694
-32.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,624 £4,171
$2,285 AWG 4,090
146.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,390 £3,256
$1,723 AWG 3,085
154.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Aruba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,384 £2,510
$2,481 AWG 4,440
36.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
6.25
-14.88%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aruba: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,296 in United Kingdom, $545 in Aruba. Capital cities: $3,001 in London vs $922 in Oranjestad.

National salary averages: $3,270 in United Kingdom, $2,417 in Aruba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 138% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 124% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 274% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 35% higher in United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Aruba.

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
United Kingdom vs Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Aruba and United Kingdom?
At $1,164 per month in Aruba and $2,670 in United Kingdom, there's a 129% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Aruba: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United Kingdom is consistently higher than in Aruba across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Aruba or in United Kingdom?
In Aruba, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Aruba or to United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after: Aruba wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries