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: $712 in China versus $303 in Suriname.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in China versus $533 in Suriname.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,553 in China versus $763 in Suriname.

Living in China is roughly 135% more expensive than Suriname on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Suriname 77% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Suriname
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.71 ¥18.31
$6.91 SRD 256
-60.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.22 ¥157
$42.76 SRD 1,587
-45.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.00 ¥33.78
$10.42 SRD 387
-52.02%
Cappuccino
$3.08 ¥20.84
$2.68 SRD 99.3
14.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.24
$1.20 SRD 44.49
-60.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.97
$0.64 SRD 23.73
-54.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.00 ¥6.73
$2.91 SRD 108
-65.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ¥14.21
$4.00 SRD 149
-47.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Suriname
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 ¥11.80
$1.64 SRD 60.8
6.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 ¥11.25
$1.27 SRD 47.23
31.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ¥6.67
$1.39 SRD 51.7
-28.78%
Eggs
$1.57 ¥10.60
$3.40 SRD 126
-53.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.06 ¥88.3
$12.27 SRD 455
6.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.31 ¥22.38
$5.15 SRD 191
-35.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.82 ¥73.1
$10.26 SRD 381
5.46%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 ¥12.01
$4.48 SRD 166
-60.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 ¥8.39
$1.88 SRD 69.8
-34.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ¥10.17
$3.16 SRD 117
-52.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 ¥8.11
$5.48 SRD 203
-78.10%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 ¥5.16
$1.37 SRD 50.8
-44.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 ¥6.20
$1.83 SRD 68.0
-49.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 ¥3.89
$1.84 SRD 68.3
-68.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ¥3.59
$1.48 SRD 55.0
-64.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.45 ¥23.28
$5.59 SRD 207
-38.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.95 ¥80.7
$8.23 SRD 305
45.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 ¥5.57
$2.18 SRD 80.7
-62.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ¥11.15
$3.27 SRD 121
-49.54%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Suriname
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 ¥2.91
$0.45 SRD 16.84
-4.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.78 ¥140
$91.6 SRD 3,399
-77.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 ¥9.32
$2.95 SRD 109
-53.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.22
$2.53 SRD 94.0
-86.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.74 ¥45.50
$10.14 SRD 376
-33.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 ¥7.64
$1.10 SRD 40.74
2.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6K ¥132.5K
$24.9K SRD 925.9K
-21.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.8K ¥113.5K
$25.4K SRD 941.7K
-33.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Suriname
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.7 ¥343
$38.96 SRD 1,446
30.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.12 ¥68.4
$25.99 SRD 965
-61.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.42 ¥77.2
$29.77 SRD 1,105
-61.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Suriname
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.33 ¥272
$12.72 SRD 472
217.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.57 ¥98.5
$20.28 SRD 753
-28.16%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 ¥43.26
$4.66 SRD 173
37.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Suriname
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$417 ¥2,817
$63.9 SRD 2,373
552.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.2K ¥116.5K
$1,959 SRD 72.7K
780.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Suriname
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.55 ¥308
$37.01 SRD 1,373
23.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.26 ¥218
$28.87 SRD 1,071
11.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.9 ¥493
$75.9 SRD 2,818
-3.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.6 ¥497
$112 SRD 4,140
-34.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Suriname
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$433 ¥2,925
$496 SRD 18.4K
-12.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$261 ¥1,765
$214 SRD 7,933
22.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$905 ¥6,115
$1,077 SRD 40.0K
-15.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$533 ¥3,599
$581 SRD 21.6K
-8.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,965 ¥33.5K
$474 SRD 17.6K
947.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,518 ¥17.0K
$404 SRD 15.0K
523.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Suriname
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,063 ¥7,181
$282 SRD 10.5K
276.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.06
16.25
-75.02%

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

Last update for China: June 15, 2026

Last update for Suriname: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $125 in Suriname. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $501 in Paramaribo.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $290 in Suriname. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 130% higher in China.

Dining out costs 11% more in China.

Public transport is 28% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 197% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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 $862 per month in China and $506 in Suriname, there's a 70% 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?
Suriname is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 vs Suriname?
In Suriname, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but 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 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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