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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Paramaribo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$8.27 SRD 310
44.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$42.85 SRD 1,606
-2.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$10.58 SRD 397
1.61%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$2.70 SRD 101
29.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$1.24 SRD 46.36
16.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$0.83 SRD 31.04
6.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$3.07 SRD 115
-3.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
$4.01 SRD 150
12.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.72 SRD 64.6
-16.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$1.28 SRD 47.88
43.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$1.67 SRD 62.6
-5.99%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$3.50 SRD 131
-28.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$12.35 SRD 463
-32.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$5.55 SRD 208
51.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$9.84 SRD 369
8.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$4.44 SRD 167
-41.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$2.04 SRD 76.6
-29.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$3.13 SRD 117
-37.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$5.39 SRD 202
-61.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$1.28 SRD 48.16
44.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$2.08 SRD 78.1
4.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$1.84 SRD 69.0
-44.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$1.48 SRD 55.6
-27.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$5.58 SRD 209
-26.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$7.92 SRD 297
28.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
$2.28 SRD 85.3
-26.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
$3.32 SRD 124
-23.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$0.46 SRD 17.19
10.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$89.4 SRD 3,352
-70.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$2.98 SRD 112
8.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$2.54 SRD 95.3
-5.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$10.07 SRD 377
-67.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.10 SRD 41.23
20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$24.6K SRD 920.9K
20.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$25.3K SRD 947.6K
-6.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$39.43 SRD 1,478
107.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$26.19 SRD 982
-12.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$29.06 SRD 1,089
3.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$12.67 SRD 475
310.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$19.82 SRD 743
-6.51%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$4.58 SRD 172
8.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$61.8 SRD 2,317
219.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$1,950 SRD 73.1K
173.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$36.10 SRD 1,353
-1.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$28.89 SRD 1,083
39.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$75.3 SRD 2,822
4.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$110 SRD 4,133
-19.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$503 SRD 18.9K
88.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$217 SRD 8,128
118.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$1,091 SRD 40.9K
50.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$568 SRD 21.3K
112.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$465 SRD 17.4K
771.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$407 SRD 15.2K
1490.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Paramaribo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$276 SRD 10.3K
136.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
16
-28.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Paramaribo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $503 in Paramaribo. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Paramaribo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $286 – 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
Playa del Carmen vs Paramaribo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Paramaribo?
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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Paramaribo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,499 in Paramaribo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Paramaribo?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Paramaribo?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $61.8 in Paramaribo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Paramaribo?
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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Paramaribo?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Paramaribo?
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.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Paramaribo?
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.

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