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: $711 in China versus $299 in Suriname.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $532 in Suriname.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $765 in Suriname.

Living in China is roughly 138% more expensive than Suriname on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Suriname 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Suriname
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.75 ¥18.83
$7.14 SRD 267
-61.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.03 ¥165
$43.56 SRD 1,632
-44.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.96 ¥33.95
$10.25 SRD 384
-51.61%
Cappuccino
$3.12 ¥21.37
$2.77 SRD 104
12.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.26
$1.25 SRD 46.67
-61.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 ¥1.84
$0.64 SRD 23.92
-57.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 ¥6.73
$2.90 SRD 109
-66.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 ¥14.69
$3.98 SRD 149
-45.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Suriname
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 ¥12.53
$1.72 SRD 64.4
6.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 ¥11.54
$1.23 SRD 46.00
36.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 ¥6.21
$1.46 SRD 54.6
-37.67%
Eggs
$1.56 ¥10.66
$3.34 SRD 125
-53.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.97 ¥88.9
$12.48 SRD 468
3.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.25 ¥22.23
$5.40 SRD 202
-39.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.51 ¥72.0
$10.35 SRD 388
1.55%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 ¥12.41
$4.31 SRD 162
-58.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 ¥8.90
$1.92 SRD 71.8
-32.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ¥10.26
$3.27 SRD 122
-54.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.15 ¥7.87
$5.44 SRD 204
-78.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 ¥5.20
$1.35 SRD 50.6
-43.70%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 ¥6.07
$1.90 SRD 71.3
-53.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 ¥3.97
$1.92 SRD 72.0
-69.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ¥3.95
$1.47 SRD 55.0
-60.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.50 ¥23.95
$5.63 SRD 211
-37.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.55 ¥79.1
$8.59 SRD 322
34.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥5.31
$2.15 SRD 80.4
-63.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 ¥11.03
$3.32 SRD 124
-51.51%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Suriname
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 ¥3.01
$0.45 SRD 16.83
-2.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.15 ¥145
$91.6 SRD 3,433
-76.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ¥9.35
$2.94 SRD 110
-53.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.36 ¥2.44
$2.56 SRD 96.0
-85.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.61 ¥45.28
$10.14 SRD 380
-34.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 ¥7.74
$1.09 SRD 40.85
3.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K ¥135.2K
$25.4K SRD 950.5K
-22.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.1K ¥117.0K
$24.5K SRD 918.7K
-30.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Suriname
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.9 ¥349
$38.62 SRD 1,447
31.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.03 ¥68.7
$26.01 SRD 974
-61.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.33 ¥77.6
$28.78 SRD 1,078
-60.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Suriname
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.13 ¥275
$12.70 SRD 476
215.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.97 ¥103
$20.09 SRD 752
-25.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 ¥41.74
$4.75 SRD 178
28.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Suriname
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$418 ¥2,860
$62.5 SRD 2,340
568.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.3K ¥118.2K
$1,953 SRD 73.2K
783.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Suriname
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.40 ¥318
$35.81 SRD 1,342
29.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.92 ¥226
$28.94 SRD 1,084
13.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.1 ¥487
$74.4 SRD 2,786
-4.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.9 ¥499
$111 SRD 4,153
-34.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Suriname
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$438 ¥3,003
$511 SRD 19.1K
-14.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$259 ¥1,775
$220 SRD 8,253
17.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$926 ¥6,341
$1,057 SRD 39.6K
-12.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$548 ¥3,754
$577 SRD 21.6K
-5.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,047 ¥34.6K
$493 SRD 18.5K
922.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,666 ¥18.3K
$425 SRD 15.9K
527.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Suriname
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,074 ¥7,357
$284 SRD 10.6K
278.71%
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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Suriname: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $125 in Suriname. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $500 in Paramaribo.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $289 in Suriname. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 129% higher in China.

Public transport is 28% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 189% 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 $873 per month in China and $498 in Suriname, there's a 75% 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 $1,200 go in China vs Suriname?
In Suriname, $1,200 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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