🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Surinam versus $2,495 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,726 in Surinam versus $3,550 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,386 in Surinam versus $4,605 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Surinam costs roughly 57% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Surinam is 22% below, Barcelona is 82% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.77MUR 269
$18.39€15.83
-68.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.85MUR 1,809
$69.2€59.5
-43.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.65MUR 356
$14.13€12.16
-45.86%
Cappuccino
$2.60MUR 121
$3.13€2.70
-16.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MUR 52.7
$3.02€2.59
-62.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66MUR 30.68
$1.96€1.69
-66.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.67MUR 124
$4.00€3.44
-33.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.70MUR 219
$4.76€4.10
-1.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.61MUR 74.9
$1.25€1.07
28.80%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73MUR 33.90
$2.16€1.86
-66.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.16MUR 54.1
$1.69€1.45
-31.36%
Eggs
$2.55MUR 119
$4.93€4.24
-48.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.34MUR 249
$17.88€15.39
-70.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.42MUR 299
$9.61€8.27
-33.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38MUR 530
$19.34€16.64
-41.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76MUR 128
$3.24€2.78
-14.81%
Banana(1kg)
$2.71MUR 126
$2.18€1.87
24.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.40MUR 65.4
$2.67€2.30
-47.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.03MUR 141
$2.77€2.39
9.39%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97MUR 45.16
$2.21€1.90
-56.11%
Onion(1kg)
$0.96MUR 44.79
$2.19€1.88
-56.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74MUR 34.39
$1.52€1.31
-51.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92MUR 42.89
$0.92€0.79
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.50MUR 303
$7.12€6.13
-8.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.57MUR 399
$8.14€7.00
5.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65MUR 76.8
$1.50€1.29
10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28MUR 106
$2.78€2.39
-17.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$3.15€2.71
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.99€23.23
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.32MUR 201
$3.25€2.80
32.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.17MUR 148
$1.50€1.29
111.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.11MUR 983
$34.89€30.03
-39.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33MUR 62.0
$1.75€1.50
-24.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8KMUR 1.7M
$36.7K€31.5K
0.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6KMUR 1.5M
$30.9K€26.6K
2.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$45.49MUR 2,118
$188€161
-75.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.80MUR 503
$15.44€13.29
-30.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.00MUR 1,350
$37.80€32.52
-23.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.88MUR 1,438
$57.2€49.21
-46.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80€14.45
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.45MUR 300
$11.58€9.96
-44.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$126MUR 5,853
$1,003€863
-87.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,707MUR 358.9K
$17.0K€14.6K
-54.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.7MUR 3,665
$89.2€76.8
-11.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.8MUR 3,530
$40.87€35.17
85.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$122MUR 5,679
$110€94.6
10.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7MUR 3,569
$123€106
-37.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$606MUR 28.2K
$1,673€1,440
-63.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445MUR 20.7K
$1,331€1,146
-66.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,242MUR 57.8K
$2,596€2,234
-52.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$740MUR 34.5K
$1,950€1,678
-62.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$7,573€6,517
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$5,370€4,621
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,402€2,067
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
3.16
111.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Surinam: August 29, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $606 in Surinam and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $39.00 in Surinam vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $332 per month, with Surinam cheaper across the board.
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
Surinam vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Surinam and in Barcelona?
Surinam and Barcelona differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($1,067 vs $2,495 including rent). Surinam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Surinam compared to Barcelona?
You'd need roughly $1,600 in Surinam and $3,743 in Barcelona 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Surinam and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $606 in Surinam versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Surinam and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $126 in Surinam versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Surinam – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,067 in Surinam versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surinam but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Surinam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Surinam and Barcelona?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Surinam or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Surinam and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Surinam or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Surinam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.