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 $999 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,716 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,433 per month in Paramaribo vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Paramaribo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Paramaribo 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.27 SRD 310

$11.99 MX$210

-31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.85 SRD 1,606

$41.78 MX$733

2.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 SRD 397

$10.75 MX$189

-1.58%

Cappuccino

$2.70 SRD 101

$3.50 MX$61.3

-22.86%

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

$1.24 SRD 46.36

$1.45 MX$25.41

-14.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 SRD 31.04

$0.88 MX$15.52

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 SRD 115

$2.95 MX$51.7

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 SRD 150

$4.51 MX$79.1

-11.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SRD 64.6

$1.43 MX$25.12

20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SRD 47.88

$1.84 MX$32.23

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SRD 62.6

$1.57 MX$27.51

6.37%

Eggs

$3.50 SRD 131

$2.51 MX$44.06

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 SRD 463

$8.28 MX$145

49.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 SRD 208

$8.43 MX$148

-34.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 SRD 369

$10.68 MX$187

-7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 SRD 167

$2.61 MX$45.76

70.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 SRD 76.6

$1.44 MX$25.22

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 SRD 117

$1.96 MX$34.41

59.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 SRD 202

$2.09 MX$36.74

157.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SRD 48.16

$1.85 MX$32.47

-30.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 SRD 78.1

$2.17 MX$38.02

-4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 SRD 69.0

$1.03 MX$18.09

78.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SRD 55.6

$1.07 MX$18.84

38.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.58 SRD 209

$4.10 MX$72.0

36.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 SRD 297

$10.17 MX$178

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 SRD 85.3

$1.68 MX$29.38

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 SRD 124

$2.53 MX$44.31

31.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 SRD 17.19

$0.51 MX$8.93

-9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 SRD 3,352

$26.04 MX$457

243.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 SRD 112

$3.23 MX$56.7

-7.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 SRD 95.3

$2.41 MX$42.19

5.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 SRD 377

$3.23 MX$56.6

211.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 SRD 41.23

$1.32 MX$23.17

-16.67%

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

$24.6K SRD 920.9K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-17.29%

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

$25.3K SRD 947.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

6.81%

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

$39.43 SRD 1,478

$82.0 MX$1,439

-51.92%

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

$26.19 SRD 982

$22.95 MX$403

14.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.06 SRD 1,089

$30.11 MX$528

-3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.67 SRD 475

$52.0 MX$912

-75.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.82 SRD 743

$18.53 MX$325

6.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 SRD 172

$4.98 MX$87.3

-8.03%

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

$61.8 SRD 2,317

$197 MX$3,463

-68.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,950 SRD 73.1K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-63.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.10 SRD 1,353

$35.60 MX$624

1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 SRD 1,083

$40.33 MX$707

-28.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 SRD 2,822

$78.8 MX$1,381

-4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 SRD 4,133

$88.9 MX$1,560

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 SRD 18.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

-46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 SRD 8,128

$474 MX$8,314

-54.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 SRD 40.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-33.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 SRD 21.3K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-53.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$465 SRD 17.4K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-88.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 SRD 15.2K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-93.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 SRD 10.3K

$654 MX$11.5K

-57.80%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Paramaribo versus $947 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 137% 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: $286 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 26% 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 $1,499 per month in Paramaribo and $1,884 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 $61.8 per month in Paramaribo and $197 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 15% 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 $999, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $999 versus $1,256 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.