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 $1,071 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,493 per month in Paramaribo vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Paramaribo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Paramaribo 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 SRD 490

$11.71 MX$199

11.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SRD 1,976

$46.59 MX$791

12.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 SRD 420

$11.65 MX$198

-4.03%

Cappuccino

$2.89 SRD 109

$4.09 MX$69.5

-29.34%

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

$1.42 SRD 53.4

$1.37 MX$23.34

3.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 SRD 32.32

$0.83 MX$14.16

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 SRD 98.7

$3.35 MX$56.9

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 SRD 145

$6.91 MX$117

-44.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SRD 69.2

$1.73 MX$29.33

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SRD 50.2

$2.26 MX$38.39

-40.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 SRD 59.8

$1.77 MX$30.05

-10.17%

Eggs

$2.96 SRD 111

$2.73 MX$46.41

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 SRD 411

$9.18 MX$156

19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 SRD 236

$8.92 MX$151

-29.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 SRD 391

$12.60 MX$214

-17.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 SRD 181

$3.02 MX$51.3

59.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 SRD 91.0

$1.57 MX$26.68

54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 SRD 137

$2.13 MX$36.10

70.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 SRD 231

$2.26 MX$38.46

172.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SRD 52.7

$2.00 MX$34.04

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 SRD 72.5

$2.06 MX$35.06

-6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 SRD 55.8

$1.18 MX$20.04

26.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SRD 56.8

$1.20 MX$20.45

25.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 SRD 219

$4.63 MX$78.7

25.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 SRD 303

$10.69 MX$182

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SRD 77.6

$1.62 MX$27.50

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 SRD 144

$2.88 MX$48.93

32.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SRD 29.38

$0.57 MX$9.74

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 SRD 3,326

$29.83 MX$507

196.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 SRD 114

$5.45 MX$92.5

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 SRD 74.4

$3.70 MX$62.9

-46.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 SRD 377

$5.98 MX$102

68.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 SRD 42.33

$1.55 MX$26.38

-27.10%

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

$25.3K SRD 948.2K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

13.09%

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

$25.0K SRD 938.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-3.71%

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

$38.04 SRD 1,428

$89.1 MX$1,514

-57.32%

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

$25.85 SRD 971

$25.04 MX$425

3.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 SRD 1,141

$31.50 MX$535

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.40 SRD 466

$67.8 MX$1,151

-81.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.01 SRD 714

$28.92 MX$491

-34.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 SRD 170

$5.05 MX$85.8

-10.30%

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

$63.7 SRD 2,392

$225 MX$3,820

-71.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,777 SRD 66.7K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-57.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.89 SRD 1,423

$47.44 MX$806

-20.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.05 SRD 1,016

$44.98 MX$764

-39.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 SRD 2,740

$82.0 MX$1,392

-10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SRD 3,895

$92.1 MX$1,564

12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 SRD 18.4K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-54.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 SRD 9,788

$405 MX$6,884

-35.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 SRD 43.1K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-40.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 SRD 18.8K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-61.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$476 SRD 17.9K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-88.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$398 SRD 14.9K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-93.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 SRD 10.7K

$749 MX$12.7K

-61.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

39.74%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Paramaribo versus $1,069 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 163% 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 $53.0 in Paramaribo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $277 – 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 21% more than Paramaribo, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,607 per month in Paramaribo and $1,940 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 $63.7 per month in Paramaribo and $225 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 7% 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 $1,071, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $1,071 versus $1,293 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.