What does it cost to live in Curaçao? If you're planning a move, the first number you need is what a place to live costs, so this article starts there: what rentals and homes cost on our map today. Then we go through the other fixed costs of a home: property tax, service costs, water and electricity. Our map brings together the listings of 45+ realtors on the island, and we recalculate the numbers below every time we update the site.
Renting a home
The median rent of a long-term rental (house or apartment) on our map is $1,850 a month today, across around 350 rentals. Half of them ask less, half ask more: a small apartment costs less, a family house with a pool more. See a selection on our long-term rentals page. Before you sign, ask whether the place is furnished, how much deposit you pay and which costs are included in the rent, such as water, electricity, internet or the service costs of a complex.
New on the island? Many people rent for the first months and buy once they know the neighbourhoods: see moving to Curaçao: how to find a home.
Buying a home
If you buy, the median asking price of a house on our map is $785,000 today, and of an apartment $478,000. On top of the price come one-time buying costs of typically 5-7%: transfer tax (usually 4%), notary fees and a land registry fee. Prices per area and for building lots are in our article how much does a house cost in Curaçao.
Yearly costs of owning a home
- Property tax (OZB): a yearly tax on the value of the property, paid by the owner. The rate is 0.4% to 0.6% of the value, higher for more expensive properties: see the rates in our buyers guide.
- Service costs: in a resort or gated complex you pay a monthly fee for shared things such as security, gardens or a pool. Ask for the amount before you make an offer.
- Erfpacht: on land with a long lease (erfpacht) you also pay a yearly fee for the land, the canon.
- Insurance and upkeep: budget for home and contents insurance and for maintenance.
Water and electricity
On Curaçao both come from one company, Aqualectra. Its tariffs go up in steps: the more you use in a month, the higher the price per unit. In October 2026 a household paid XCG 0.6956 per kWh for its first 250 kWh of electricity (about $0.39) and XCG 9.11 per m³ for its first 9 m³ of water (about $5.09). Aqualectra publishes its current rates on its website. Air conditioning uses a lot of electricity, so when you rent or buy, ask for a few recent bills.
Dollars and guilders
Bills on the island, such as Aqualectra's, are in Caribbean guilders (XCG), which is fixed at 1.79 guilders to the US dollar. The listings on our site are in US dollars, so you can compare them all in one currency.
What we leave out
Groceries, health insurance, school and a car also belong in your budget, but what they cost depends a lot on how you live, and we only publish numbers we can source. Ask people who already live on the island, and check the rules for residence and insurance with the Curaçao authorities. Ready to see what your budget gets you? Open the map with every rental, or see everything for sale and for rent.
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Find your new homeThis article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Prices and tariffs change, so check the details with the realtor, the landlord and the Curaçao authorities before you decide.