Aruba on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Aruba is hard to do cheaply, but it can be done with self-catering and buses. A realistic minimum is about US$145 per person a day when sharing a double, most of which is accommodation.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | US$70 | US$160 | US$330 |
| Food & drink | US$45 | US$90 | US$160 |
| Sights & tickets | US$20 | US$50 | US$110 |
| Local transport | US$10 | US$35 | US$60 |
| Per person, per day | US$145 | US$335 | US$660 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Aruba day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Eagle Beach and its fofoti trees, with free public shade huts
- Walking Main Street in Oranjestad and riding the free downtown streetcar
- Arashi Beach and Malmok for snorkelling from the shore with your own mask
- The murals of San Nicolas, many painted for the Aruba Art Fair
- The Casibari and Ayo rock formations
- The Alto Vista Chapel and the view from outside the California Lighthouse
Cheap eats
- Zeerovers in Savaneta: fried fish and shrimp by the pound, about US$15-25 per person
- Pastechi (filled fried pastries) from snack bars, a few dollars each
- Food trucks in Noord and by the Oranjestad bus station, about US$10-15 a meal
- Supermarket picnics with Dutch cheese and bread from the large stores near Noord
- Funchi and stew at local restaurants away from the strip, about US$15-25
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in apartments, guesthouses and small inns in Noord and Oranjestad, usually US$120-200 a night for a double, ideally with a kitchen. There are almost no hostels, so solo travellers pay close to the double rate.
Getting around cheaply
The Arubus is the cheapest option: about US$2.60 a ride, every 10-20 minutes between Oranjestad and Palm Beach, with day cards available. From the airport, a bus to Oranjestad station is cheapest; a taxi to Palm Beach is about US$25-30. Rent a car (about US$50-80 a day) only for Arikok and San Nicolas.
A sample budget day
- Morning: early swim and photos at Eagle Beach (free)
- Lunch: pastechi and a cold drink from a snack bar, about US$8
- Afternoon: bus to Oranjestad (about US$2.60 each way), walk Main Street and Fort Zoutman area
- Evening: self-catered dinner or a food-truck plate in Noord, about US$15
- Total: about US$145 including a shared apartment
More ways to save
- Book accommodation early for winter; the cheapest apartments sell out first.
- Bring snorkel gear from home rather than renting it daily.
- Combine Arikok and San Nicolas in one rental-car day to pay for the car only once.
- Fill your bottle with tap water before beach days; drinks at beach bars are expensive.
- Travel in May or June for lower room rates with the same dry weather.
- Pay in US dollars but spend small notes before leaving, as change often comes in florins.
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Common questions
Can you visit Aruba on a budget?
Yes, with a kitchen apartment in Noord or Oranjestad, buses and local food you can keep to about US$145 per person a day, but it is never a cheap island.
Are there hostels in Aruba?
Very few. Most budget travellers use guesthouses and self-catering apartments, usually US$120-200 a night for a double.
Do I need a rental car?
Not every day. Buses cover Oranjestad and the hotel beaches; rent a car for a day or two to reach Arikok, Baby Beach and San Nicolas.