Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Suriname Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Suriname

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $719 in China versus $325 in Suriname.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,147 in China versus $548 in Suriname.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,574 in China versus $771 in Suriname.

Living in China is roughly 121% more expensive than in Suriname on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Suriname 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Suriname
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.92 ¥19.55
$13.25 SRD 502
-77.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.23 ¥149
$46.24 SRD 1,752
-51.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.13 ¥34.29
$10.67 SRD 405
-51.92%
Cappuccino
$2.99 ¥20.00
$2.84 SRD 108
5.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 ¥3.49
$1.48 SRD 56.3
-64.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 ¥1.87
$0.87 SRD 33.15
-67.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.05 ¥7.03
$2.43 SRD 92.3
-56.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ¥15.15
$3.82 SRD 145
-40.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Suriname
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 ¥12.10
$1.83 SRD 69.4
-1.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 ¥11.22
$1.40 SRD 52.9
20.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.90 ¥6.04
$1.36 SRD 51.6
-33.82%
Eggs
$1.56 ¥10.42
$2.93 SRD 111
-46.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.24 ¥88.6
$10.88 SRD 412
21.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.49 ¥23.36
$6.41 SRD 243
-45.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.23 ¥75.1
$9.77 SRD 370
14.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ¥12.42
$4.83 SRD 183
-61.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 ¥8.46
$2.24 SRD 84.8
-43.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 ¥10.21
$3.66 SRD 139
-58.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 ¥8.44
$5.83 SRD 221
-78.39%
Potato (1kg)
$0.73 ¥4.91
$1.28 SRD 48.61
-42.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 ¥5.88
$1.91 SRD 72.5
-53.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ¥4.33
$1.55 SRD 58.7
-58.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ¥3.88
$1.41 SRD 53.3
-58.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.71 ¥24.81
$5.85 SRD 222
-36.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.80 ¥78.9
$8.04 SRD 305
46.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 ¥5.68
$2.07 SRD 78.6
-58.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 ¥11.18
$3.77 SRD 143
-55.70%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Suriname
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.92
$0.60 SRD 22.92
-51.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.67 ¥152
$91.8 SRD 3,479
-75.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 ¥10.06
$2.95 SRD 112
-49.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 ¥2.31
$2.04 SRD 77.2
-82.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.29 ¥48.77
$9.88 SRD 374
-26.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 ¥8.17
$1.15 SRD 43.70
6.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K ¥127.0K
$25.3K SRD 957.2K
-24.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.4K ¥116.0K
$24.7K SRD 937.3K
-29.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Suriname
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.0 ¥361
$38.34 SRD 1,453
40.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.41 ¥56.3
$25.01 SRD 948
-66.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.82 ¥72.3
$30.50 SRD 1,156
-64.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Suriname
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.41 ¥270
$13.30 SRD 504
203.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.63 ¥97.8
$20.02 SRD 759
-26.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.60 ¥44.12
$5.03 SRD 191
31.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Suriname
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$452 ¥3,020
$63.3 SRD 2,400
613.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.2K ¥128.7K
$1,733 SRD 65.7K
1010.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Suriname
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.23 ¥296
$37.59 SRD 1,425
17.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.46 ¥237
$26.48 SRD 1,004
33.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.7 ¥500
$72.1 SRD 2,733
3.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.6 ¥526
$105 SRD 3,980
-25.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Suriname
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$394 ¥2,638
$492 SRD 18.7K
-19.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$243 ¥1,628
$264 SRD 9,996
-7.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 ¥5,652
$1,157 SRD 43.8K
-26.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$481 ¥3,217
$507 SRD 19.2K
-5.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,609 ¥30.8K
$469 SRD 17.8K
883.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,327 ¥15.6K
$407 SRD 15.4K
472.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Suriname
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,060 ¥7,090
$279 SRD 10.6K
279.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.47
16.25
-78.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for China: September 14, 2026

Last update for Suriname: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $294 in China, $120 in Suriname. Capital cities: $985 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $481 in Paramaribo.

National salary averages: $867 in China, $290 in Suriname. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 145% higher in China.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 199% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
China vs Suriname: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Suriname?
At $837 per month in China and $552 in Suriname, there's a 52% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Suriname?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Suriname: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Suriname?
Rent in China is consistently higher than in Suriname across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in China compared to Suriname?
In Suriname, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Suriname?
It depends on what you're after: Suriname wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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