Aruba is known for being an expensive island, but don't worry, with this helpful guide you'll be able to have an amazing time without having to break the piggy bank. 

Aruba

Aruba on a Budget

The best way to save money in Aruba is to pick an accommodation that will suit your needs. 

We highly recommend using AirBnb to find a rental home, preferably an entire apartment for a family or couple so you can make best use of the space. 

If you are going with friends or a large group, you can also book a beach villa which if split between people will save you tons of money! 

Find a location that is close to everything you don't waste a lot of time moving around. 

This condominium had so many benefits: pool, tennis court, gym, basketball court, barbecue grills, ice machine and free parking. 

Additionally, this apartment came with beach chairs and a cooler to take to the beach. 

Food is our highest expense whenever we travel, point blank period.  

In line with our point above, a great benefit to renting an entire home is that you will have access to a kitchen. This allows you to prepare meals and avoid having to eat out every time you're hungry. 

During our Aruba trip we stopped by the supermarket to get enough groceries for the week. We made sure to include:

✨ breakfast foods: eggs, bacon, bagels, juices, coffee, etc

✨ snacks: chips, dips, cookies, candies, etc

✨ drinks: water, sodas, and alcoholic beverages

 ✨ dinner foods: keep it simple but hearty. Pastas, veggies and meat.

During our stay in Aruba we rented an apartment through AirBnB, Palm Aruba Condos. 

Find an accommodation that provides beach chairs and a cooler to take to the beach. 

Get essentials to prepare sandwiches to take to the beach, pack your snacks and fruits in your cooler. That way you don't have to spend money on the (overpriced) shacks at the beach.

While Aruba is a small island, don't be fooled by thinking it'll be easy to move around. 

There are two main supermarkets in Aruba, Super Food Plaza and Cmart. We highly recommend Super Food, it has a better location (5 minutes from Eagle Beach) and a lot more variety of items. 

While taxis are reasonably priced to move around the main areas, if you are interested in truly experiencing and exploring the island (we highly recommend it), booking a taxi has a price of $45 USD an hour. 

We highly recommend that you rent a car for your stay in Aruba, this will give you all the flexibility in the world to move from beach to beach without having to wait for a bus. You will also be able to visit the southern tip of the island, San Nicolas without the breaking the bank. 

While there is public transportation, I do not recommend this option due to the extreme heat you'll most likely experience. Plus, if you follow our tips above you'll have beach chairs and a cooler to carry with you. 

Is Aruba expensive? Yes. Is it manageable? Also yes! 

If you follow these recommendations, I am sure you will be able to make the most out of your time in Aruba without having to return home completely in debt! 

I hope you found this information helpful :) 

Aruba has a reputation of being on the expensive side, it is true. However, the beaches are all public! Which means you can save some of your hard earned $$$ and still have a great time! 
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Aruba on a Budget

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