Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Lelydorp Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Lelydorp

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Paramaribo versus $201 in Lelydorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,740 in Paramaribo versus $412 in Lelydorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Paramaribo versus $622 in Lelydorp.

Living in Paramaribo is roughly 406% more expensive than Lelydorp, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Paramaribo 24% lower, Lelydorp 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.42 SRD 311

$5.10 SRD 188

65.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.33 SRD 1,598

$35.39 SRD 1,306

22.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 SRD 381

$6.12 SRD 226

68.63%

Cappuccino

$2.66 SRD 98.1

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

$1.18 SRD 43.71

$1.27 SRD 47.03

-7.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 SRD 28.97

$0.46 SRD 17.11

71.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 SRD 109

$1.94 SRD 71.7

52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 SRD 154

$3.06 SRD 113

35.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SRD 66.5

$1.23 SRD 45.50

46.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SRD 46.65

$0.97 SRD 35.80

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SRD 61.8

$1.23 SRD 45.31

35.77%

Eggs

$3.46 SRD 128

$2.81 SRD 104

23.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 SRD 465

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 SRD 211

$3.91 SRD 144

46.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 SRD 361

$8.10 SRD 299

20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 SRD 162

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SRD 72.5

$1.54 SRD 56.8

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SRD 120

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 SRD 203

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SRD 47.11

$1.02 SRD 37.48

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 SRD 74.2

$1.01 SRD 37.43

99.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 SRD 70.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SRD 56.3

$0.82 SRD 30.20

86.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 SRD 211

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 SRD 289

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 SRD 81.7

$1.97 SRD 72.5

12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 SRD 121

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 SRD 16.68

$0.48 SRD 17.67

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.4 SRD 3,370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 SRD 111

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 SRD 90.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 SRD 366

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 SRD 41.87

$0.89 SRD 32.70

28.09%

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

$25.1K SRD 925.9K

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

$25.3K SRD 931.6K

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

$39.72 SRD 1,465

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

$25.69 SRD 948

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.40 SRD 1,085

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.83 SRD 473

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 SRD 745

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 SRD 169

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

$63.4 SRD 2,338

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,939 SRD 71.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.87 SRD 1,323

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.12 SRD 1,037

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 SRD 2,816

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 SRD 4,107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 SRD 18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 SRD 7,878

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 SRD 40.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 SRD 21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$479 SRD 17.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$395 SRD 14.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 SRD 10.3K

$302 SRD 11.1K

-7.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-5.88%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lelydorp: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lelydorp pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Paramaribo vs $35.00 in Lelydorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $116 per month, with Lelydorp cheaper across the board.

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

Paramaribo vs Lelydorp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lelydorp wins on cost – living expenses run 406% lower than in Paramaribo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lelydorp the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Lelydorp earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,015 per month in Paramaribo versus $201 in Lelydorp – a 406% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 148% higher in Paramaribo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $201 in Lelydorp versus $1,015 in Paramaribo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lelydorp but tight or insufficient in Paramaribo. The gap between the two cities makes Lelydorp the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Paramaribo and Lelydorp are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lelydorp gentler on the wallet – expenses run 406% less than in Paramaribo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.