By the welcomecuracao.com team · Updated 10 September 2026
Curaçao has a reputation for being more affordable than many Caribbean islands, but restaurant prices, beach club fees and rental cars still add up. The good news: the best things on the island (the reef, the bays, the colourful streets of Willemstad) cost little or nothing. These are the tips we would give a friend.
Flights, timing and where to sleep
- Avoid peak dates. Prices for flights, villas and cars rise around Christmas, carnival, Easter and Dutch school holidays. The weeks outside those periods are often noticeably cheaper.
- Compare flights early. Direct flights from Amsterdam are the easiest for European travellers; compare fares on Trip.com. Travelling from Belgium or the east of the Netherlands? Check train connections to Schiphol on Omio.
- Self-cater. An apartment with a kitchen saves a lot on meals. Supermarkets are well stocked, often with familiar Dutch products. Compare apartments around Jan Thiel and Willemstad on Booking.com.
- Share a villa. Travelling with a group? A shared villa can work out cheaper per person than separate hotel rooms. See our villa holiday guide.
- Stay a bit outside the hotspots. Places a few minutes' drive from the beach clubs or from Pietermaai are usually cheaper than those on the waterfront.
Getting around for less
- Book a small rental car early. A car is the most practical way to reach the beaches, and booking ahead usually beats paying at the counter. Compare on DiscoverCars and check what the insurance excess is.
- Use the bus for some days. Public buses run from the terminals in Punda and Otrobanda, including routes along the south coast towards Caracasbaai and Jan Thiel and to Westpunt via Christoffel Park. They are cheap but not frequent, so check times and plan your return.
- Walk Willemstad. Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo and Pietermaai are compact and best explored on foot. Crossing the Queen Emma Bridge costs nothing.
- Agree taxi fares first. Taxis don't use meters; ask the price before you get in, especially at the airport.
Cheap and free things to do
- Choose public beaches. West-coast bays such as Playa Lagun and Playa Piskado are usually free. Beach clubs and managed beaches charge for entry or sunbeds.
- Bring your own snorkel gear. The reef starts right off the beach in many places, so a mask and fins from home pay for themselves within a few days.
- Do the free sights. Watch the flamingos at the Jan Kok salt pans, browse the street art in Scharloo, see the sunset from the west coast and wander the historic centre, which is free to explore.
- Pick one big day out. A boat trip to Klein Curaçao is not cheap, but it's the highlight of many trips. Budget for one splurge rather than many small paid activities.
Eating, drinking and staying connected
- Eat local. Try snack bars for pastechi (filled pastries), local lunch spots for stoba (stew) with funchi, and the food trucks (truki pan) that appear in the evening. Our food guide lists what to order. Many bars in Pietermaai and the beach areas also have happy hours.
- Drink tap water and sort your data. Curaçao's tap water is desalinated seawater and is generally considered safe to drink, so refill a bottle. EU roaming rules don't apply in Curaçao, so roaming can be costly; an eSIM from Airalo is usually a cheaper way to get data.
What does a low-cost day look like? Breakfast at your apartment, an early drive west to snorkel with the turtles at Piskado, a pastechi and a cold drink from a beach snack bar for lunch, an afternoon on a free beach with your own umbrella, and the sunset on the way home. Back in town, finish with a plate from a food truck. You'll have seen the best of the island for the price of petrol and a few snacks.
Plan your Curaçao trip
Hotels, tours and transport in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Is Curaçao expensive?
It depends on your style. Restaurants, beach clubs and boat trips can be pricey, but self-catering, public beaches and your own snorkel gear keep costs down.
Can you get around Curaçao without a car?
Partly. Buses connect Willemstad with the south coast and the west, but they are infrequent. Most budget travellers combine a few bus days with a short car rental.
Should I pay in dollars or guilders?
Both are accepted. Paying in Caribbean guilders (XCG) usually gives the better rate; prices in dollars are often rounded up.
Header photo: Photo: ImagePerson, CC BY 4.0
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