Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Suriname Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Suriname

Name: Suriname
Address: SR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,676 per month in Costa Rica vs $325 in Suriname, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Costa Rica vs $548 in Suriname, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,595 per month in Costa Rica vs $771 in Suriname, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 416% higher than in Suriname on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 23% above the global median, while Suriname is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 ₡4,916

$13.25 SRD 502

-16.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 ₡25.1K

$46.24 SRD 1,752

22.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 ₡4,855

$10.67 SRD 405

2.34%

Cappuccino

$4.48 ₡1,992

$2.84 SRD 108

57.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,042

$1.48 SRD 56.3

58.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡843

$0.87 SRD 33.15

118.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,471

$2.43 SRD 92.3

36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₡1,975

$3.82 SRD 145

16.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ₡1,081

$1.83 SRD 69.4

32.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 ₡1,621

$1.40 SRD 52.9

160.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,268

$1.36 SRD 51.6

109.56%

Eggs

$4.15 ₡1,844

$2.93 SRD 111

41.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₡4,504

$10.88 SRD 412

-6.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 ₡4,690

$6.41 SRD 243

64.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ₡6,136

$9.77 SRD 370

41.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ₡2,278

$4.83 SRD 183

6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₡763

$2.24 SRD 84.8

-23.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,649

$3.66 SRD 139

1.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,511

$5.83 SRD 221

-41.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,536

$1.28 SRD 48.61

170.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 ₡1,384

$1.91 SRD 72.5

62.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡509

$1.55 SRD 58.7

-26.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,231

$1.41 SRD 53.3

96.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 ₡2,429

$5.85 SRD 222

-6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 ₡7,249

$8.04 SRD 305

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₡1,196

$2.07 SRD 78.6

29.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,480

$3.77 SRD 143

-11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡500

$0.60 SRD 22.92

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 ₡29.2K

$91.8 SRD 3,479

-28.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡971

$2.95 SRD 112

-25.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 ₡922

$2.04 SRD 77.2

1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ₡4,181

$9.88 SRD 374

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡692

$1.15 SRD 43.70

35.65%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.9K ₡15.1M

$25.3K SRD 957.2K

34.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.4K ₡16.6M

$24.7K SRD 937.3K

51.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.4 ₡42.8K

$38.34 SRD 1,453

151.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.48 ₡14.0K

$25.01 SRD 948

25.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 ₡26.4K

$30.50 SRD 1,156

94.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ₡29.3K

$13.30 SRD 504

395.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 ₡9,978

$20.02 SRD 759

12.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 ₡3,957

$5.03 SRD 191

76.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$748 ₡332.4K

$63.3 SRD 2,400

1081.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$1,733 SRD 65.7K

640.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 ₡34.2K

$37.59 SRD 1,425

104.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 ₡25.2K

$26.48 SRD 1,004

114.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₡59.2K

$72.1 SRD 2,733

84.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$105 SRD 3,980

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 ₡388.1K

$492 SRD 18.7K

77.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₡288.9K

$264 SRD 9,996

146.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 ₡790.8K

$1,157 SRD 43.8K

53.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 ₡530.0K

$507 SRD 19.2K

135.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,452 ₡1.1M

$469 SRD 17.8K

422.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,642 ₡729.8K

$407 SRD 15.4K

303.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 ₡470.5K

$279 SRD 10.6K

278.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

16.25

-41.17%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: September 13, 2026

Last update for Suriname: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $833 in Costa Rica vs $120 in Suriname. For reference, capital cities sit at $965 in San Jose and $481 in Paramaribo.

Average salary: $1,101 in Costa Rica vs $290 in Suriname. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 594% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 141% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 38% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 280% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Suriname.

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

Costa Rica vs Suriname: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suriname is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 183% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Suriname, contributing to the overall 183% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Suriname, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Suriname is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.