Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Paramaribo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Paramaribo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Paramaribo 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.42 SRD 311

$11.73 MX$203

-28.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.33 SRD 1,598

$41.62 MX$720

4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 SRD 381

$10.64 MX$184

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$2.66 SRD 98.1

$3.52 MX$60.9

-24.43%

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

$1.18 SRD 43.71

$1.51 MX$26.12

-21.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 SRD 28.97

$0.97 MX$16.84

-18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 SRD 109

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 SRD 154

$4.45 MX$77.0

-6.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SRD 66.5

$1.38 MX$23.93

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SRD 46.65

$1.89 MX$32.72

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SRD 61.8

$1.64 MX$28.32

1.83%

Eggs

$3.46 SRD 128

$2.51 MX$43.34

37.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 SRD 465

$8.34 MX$144

51.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 SRD 211

$8.34 MX$144

-31.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 SRD 361

$10.73 MX$186

-8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 SRD 162

$2.60 MX$45.04

68.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SRD 72.5

$1.46 MX$25.20

34.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SRD 120

$1.90 MX$32.87

71.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 SRD 203

$2.08 MX$35.91

164.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SRD 47.11

$1.78 MX$30.71

-28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 SRD 74.2

$2.19 MX$37.80

-8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 SRD 70.3

$1.04 MX$17.99

83.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SRD 56.3

$1.08 MX$18.62

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 SRD 211

$4.08 MX$70.6

39.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 SRD 289

$10.32 MX$178

-24.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 SRD 81.7

$1.71 MX$29.61

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 SRD 121

$2.58 MX$44.54

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 SRD 16.68

$0.51 MX$8.81

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.4 SRD 3,370

$26.46 MX$458

245.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 SRD 111

$3.26 MX$56.4

-7.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 SRD 90.7

$2.49 MX$43.09

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 SRD 366

$3.25 MX$56.2

205.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 SRD 41.87

$1.31 MX$22.61

-12.98%

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

$25.1K SRD 925.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-17.11%

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

$25.3K SRD 931.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

7.78%

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

$39.72 SRD 1,465

$82.9 MX$1,433

-52.07%

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

$25.69 SRD 948

$22.22 MX$384

15.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.40 SRD 1,085

$29.34 MX$507

0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.83 SRD 473

$51.6 MX$893

-75.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 SRD 745

$18.32 MX$317

10.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 SRD 169

$5.07 MX$87.6

-9.86%

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

$63.4 SRD 2,338

$201 MX$3,473

-68.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,939 SRD 71.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-62.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.87 SRD 1,323

$36.92 MX$639

-2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.12 SRD 1,037

$39.79 MX$688

-29.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 SRD 2,816

$78.5 MX$1,357

-2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 SRD 4,107

$87.1 MX$1,506

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 SRD 18.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

-49.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 SRD 7,878

$468 MX$8,090

-54.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 SRD 40.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-33.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 SRD 21.0K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-53.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$479 SRD 17.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-87.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$395 SRD 14.6K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-93.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 SRD 10.3K

$664 MX$11.5K

-58.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

40.11%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Paramaribo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 139% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Paramaribo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Paramaribo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,523 per month in Paramaribo and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paramaribo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $63.4 per month in Paramaribo and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $1,015, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Paramaribo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Paramaribo costs $1,015 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Paramaribo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.