Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Suriname

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $789 a month against $1,045 in Suriname, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

China
Suriname
🇨🇳 China
$789
/mo nomad
🇸🇷 Suriname
$1,045
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Suriname

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in China and in Suriname actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in China versus $1,045 in Suriname.

  • China $789
  • Suriname $1,045

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in China versus $1,707 in Suriname.

  • China $1,254
  • Suriname $1,707

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in China versus $2,370 in Suriname.

  • China $1,720
  • Suriname $2,370

China ($468–$1,246) and Suriname ($202–$1,050) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Living in China costs about 24% less than in Suriname on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 42% lower, Suriname 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Suriname
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04 ¥20.25
$13.49 SRD 504
-77.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.12 ¥147
$46.28 SRD 1,729
-52.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 ¥35.75
$10.72 SRD 400
-49.91%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ¥19.54
$2.81 SRD 105
4.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.21
$1.48 SRD 55.2
-67.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ¥2.01
$0.87 SRD 32.56
-65.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.07 ¥7.15
$2.37 SRD 88.7
-54.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 ¥14.69
$4.03 SRD 151
-45.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Suriname
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 ¥12.01
$1.81 SRD 67.5
-0.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ¥10.76
$1.36 SRD 50.8
19.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ¥6.58
$1.43 SRD 53.5
-30.77%
Eggs
$1.62 ¥10.80
$3.05 SRD 114
-46.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.44 ¥89.5
$11.71 SRD 437
14.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.46 ¥23.05
$6.42 SRD 240
-46.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.15 ¥74.2
$9.95 SRD 372
12.06%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 ¥12.60
$4.91 SRD 183
-61.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.31 ¥8.72
$2.44 SRD 91.1
-46.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ¥9.97
$3.82 SRD 143
-60.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.34 ¥8.90
$5.83 SRD 218
-77.02%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 ¥4.77
$1.32 SRD 49.15
-45.45%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.21
$1.94 SRD 72.6
-52.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ¥4.35
$1.55 SRD 57.9
-58.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 ¥3.98
$1.35 SRD 50.4
-55.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 ¥25.43
$7.27 SRD 271
-47.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.18 ¥81.1
$8.22 SRD 307
48.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥6.04
$2.00 SRD 74.6
-54.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ¥10.96
$3.79 SRD 142
-56.46%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Suriname
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.92
$0.55 SRD 20.63
-47.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.07 ¥120
$32.28 SRD 1,206
-44.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 ¥10.22
$2.13 SRD 79.4
-28.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 ¥2.46
$1.56 SRD 58.2
-76.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.69 ¥44.58
$7.06 SRD 264
-5.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 ¥8.50
$1.11 SRD 41.32
15.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K ¥131.5K
$25.2K SRD 940.8K
-21.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5K ¥116.3K
$24.7K SRD 922.3K
-29.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Suriname
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.3 ¥368
$37.24 SRD 1,391
48.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.32 ¥55.4
$25.90 SRD 967
-67.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.12 ¥74.1
$30.32 SRD 1,132
-63.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Suriname
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.65 ¥264
$13.70 SRD 512
189.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.17 ¥101
$20.78 SRD 776
-27.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 ¥44.27
$5.08 SRD 190
30.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Suriname
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$514 ¥3,426
$62.1 SRD 2,319
728.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.9K ¥232.5K
$15.4K SRD 576.8K
126.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Suriname
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.85 ¥305
$37.03 SRD 1,383
23.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.41 ¥236
$28.77 SRD 1,075
23.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.0 ¥506
$75.3 SRD 2,811
1.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.0 ¥533
$119 SRD 4,456
-32.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Suriname
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$380 ¥2,528
$489 SRD 18.3K
-22.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$232 ¥1,543
$268 SRD 10.0K
-13.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$836 ¥5,565
$956 SRD 35.7K
-12.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ¥3,075
$500 SRD 18.7K
-7.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,743 ¥31.6K
$468 SRD 17.5K
914.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,383 ¥15.9K
$400 SRD 14.9K
496.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Suriname
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,117 ¥7,438
$280 SRD 10.4K
299.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.45
16.25
-78.77%

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

Last update for China: November 1, 2026

Last update for Suriname: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
China
$232
Suriname
$268 15.6% $36
Groceries & Markets
China
$212
Suriname
$295 39.2% $83
Clothing & Footwear
China
$107
Suriname
$117 9.7% $10
Eating Out
China
$89
Suriname
$203 130% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
$75
Suriname
$93 25% $19
Sport & Entertainment
China
$53
Suriname
$24 54.9% $29
Getting Around
China
$23
Suriname
$44 96.4% $22

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $298 in China, $494 in Suriname. Capital cities: $942 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $494 in Paramaribo.

National salary averages: $881 in China, $291 in Suriname. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 66% higher in Suriname.

Dining out costs 100% more in Suriname.

Public transport is 78% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are about 3 times higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

Good to know
🇨🇳 China
🇸🇷 Suriname
🕒 Local time
00:29 12:29 AM
13:29 1:29 PM
11 h behind China
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,442,965,000
563,402
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SRD, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 6.66 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.47 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

Surinamese Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 37.35 SRD (100 SRD = 2.68 USD). 1 EUR = 41.87 SRD (100 SRD = 2.39 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • China Suriname 14,860 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • China
  • Suriname

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 $789 per month in China and $1,045 in Suriname, China comes out about 24% cheaper. 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 cheaper in China: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. 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 for a central one-bedroom averages $494 in Suriname and $298 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Suriname?
It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

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