How much will it cost me to travel to Aruba?

Maybe you have only considered travelling to Aruba because it is a stopover for many cruises that sail across the Caribbean Sea. Or maybe we are wrong and you are already planning to go to this happy island someday. Whatever your case may be, you will find useful knowing how much money you will need to travel to this constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. And that’s why we are here!

In your travel, you will find, among other surprises, a curious mix of bright Caribbean colours and European colonial architecture, in a city in which you can discover the traces left by the Caquetio Indians, who lived there, or by the gold route. By now, we cannot say how much gold you would need to pay there, but we can tell you what is the Aruban currency and everything you need to know about it.

The currency of Aruba

The Aruban florin is the legal tender in Aruba (symbol: ƒ; ISO: AWG) and it is divided into 100 cents.

Nowadays, coins for 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents are being issued, as well as coins for 1, 2.5 and 5 florins. Regarding banknotes, the following denominations are currently in circulation: 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 Aruban florins.

To travel to the country with this currency, you can exchange it for yours at any of the Global Exchange branches that you will find around the world (even online in some countries).

How much will I pay for…?

Now that you know the currency and the denominations that you will find in circulation in Aruba, we will tell you how much you will have to pay for many of the things that your trip may include.

Transportation

The easiest and more frequent ways to move around Aruba is by car, by taxi or by bus. If you arrive by plane, you will probably do it to the Queen Beatrix International Airport of Aruba, in Oranjestad, but you can also arrive by boat, as we have said before, as part of a holiday cruise. Here we will explain all the option you have.

This is what you will have to pay for:

• Renting a small car for a day: AWG 109/ USD 61/ EUR 27. You can do it with companies such as Budget, Alamo or Avis.
• A little of fuel: AWG 1.83/ USD 1/ EUR 0.8.
• A single ticket for public transport: AWG 2.25/ USD 1.3/ EUR 1.
• A taxi from the airport to some touristic location such as Eagle Beach: AWG 36-45/ USD 20-25/ EUR 16-21.

Eating and drinking

In Aruba, the pan bati —cooked with cornflour—, their renowed stew —with beef, chicken or kid meat or with seafood— or the keshi yena, a dish in which Gouda cheese is the star, will delight you. But before trying any of those, you will need to know how much money it will cost you.

• A menu in a burger joint: AWG 15/ USD 8.4/ EUR 6.8.
• Eating at an average restaurant: AWG 8/ USD 4.5/ EUR 3.6.
• Dining at an average restaurant: AWG 10/ USD 5.6/ EUR 4.6.
• A beer in a pub: AWG 2.5/ USD 1.4/ EUR 1.14.
• A cup of coffee: AWG 1.5/ USD 0.8/ EUR 0.7.
• A small bottle of water: AWG 3-4/ USD 1.7-2.2/ EUR 1.5-2.

Accommodation

Aruba is a tourist destination par excellence, so you will find lots of resorsts and hotels right in front of the beach. Even so, you can always look for another option more affordable or you can turn to Couchsurfing. Here we leave some reference so you know what your approximate budget might be.

• A twin room in an average hotel, breakfast included: AWG 218/ USD 128/ EUR 98.
• A room in a hostel in Oranjestad, in a room for 4 people, with shared bathroom: AWG 44/ USD 25/ EUR 20.
• Renting a two-room apartment in an average area (price per month): AWG 1200/ USD 670/ EUR 547.

Leisure

Do you prefer museums or nightclubs? Or both! Why not? Here we give you all the information about some of the options for spending your leisure time in Aruba, you decide!

• A ticket for the movies on the weekend: AWG 16/ USD 8.9/ EUR 7.3.
• A drink at a bar or nightclub: AWG 12-15/ USD 6.7-8.4/ EUR 5.5-6.8.
• A pack of tobacco cigarettes: AWG 9/ USD 5/ EUR 4.
• A ticket for a tourist attraction, such as Arikok Park: AWG 19.7/ USD 11/ EUR 8.9, but some of them have a reduced price or they are free, e.g. the Archaeological Museum of Aruba.

Lastly, and as a summary, I will say that the total budget per person and day, provided that you are moving around in a rental car, sleep in a hotel and that you participate in some of the leisure activities mentioned above, would be approximately AWG 236.2 (USD 89.5/EUR 132). If you are moving around in public transport, including a round-trip ticket, then it would drop down to AWG 191.2 (USD 107/EUR 86).

*Prices on February 2018. Take into account the price differences inside the country depending on the place you are at.

Imáges: David Stanley, Actividad Cultural Banco de la República, Rob Bertholf y Pixabay.

Where can I change my money?

You will be able to exchange your money for Aruban florin at any of the Global Exchange branches around the world. Check their location at our website.