Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surinam Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Surinam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,067 in Surinam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,726 in Surinam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,386 in Surinam.

Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than in Surinam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Surinam 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.77 MUR 269

-20.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$38.85 MUR 1,809

-16.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.65 MUR 356

16.34%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.60 MUR 121

7.69%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$1.13 MUR 52.7

-22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.66 MUR 30.68

-25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.67 MUR 124

-10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.70 MUR 219

-21.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.61 MUR 74.9

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.73 MUR 33.90

97.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.16 MUR 54.1

36.21%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.55 MUR 119

-16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$5.34 MUR 249

273.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.42 MUR 299

-46.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.38 MUR 530

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$2.76 MUR 128

6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.71 MUR 126

-36.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$1.40 MUR 65.4

65.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.03 MUR 141

-31.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.97 MUR 45.16

51.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.96 MUR 44.79

41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.74 MUR 34.39

48.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.92 MUR 42.89

-38.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$6.50 MUR 303

-34.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$8.57 MUR 399

114.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.65 MUR 76.8

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.28 MUR 106

28.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$4.32 MUR 201

-29.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$3.17 MUR 148

-66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$21.11 MUR 983

-81.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.33 MUR 62.0

12.03%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

-26.26%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$31.6K MUR 1.5M

-13.07%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$45.49 MUR 2,118

125.98%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$10.80 MUR 503

1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$29.00 MUR 1,350

-39.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$30.88 MUR 1,438

73.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$6.45 MUR 300

15.97%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$126 MUR 5,853

343.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$7,707 MUR 358.9K

53.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$78.7 MUR 3,665

-18.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$75.8 MUR 3,530

-61.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$122 MUR 5,679

-21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$76.7 MUR 3,569

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$606 MUR 28.2K

20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$445 MUR 20.7K

12.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,242 MUR 57.8K

68.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$740 MUR 34.5K

63.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surinam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $606 in Surinam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Surinam. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $220, with Surinam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket vs Surinam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surinam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $1,600 in Surinam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $606 in Surinam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $126 in Surinam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surinam – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,067 in Surinam versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surinam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Surinam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Surinam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Surinam 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 Surinam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.