🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,061 in Surinam versus $2,316 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,713 in Surinam versus $3,458 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,364 in Surinam versus $4,601 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Surinam costs roughly 54% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Surinam is 21% below, Barcelona is 73% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.70MUR 316
$17.19€15.06
-61.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.40MUR 2,045
$70.7€62.0
-38.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.12MUR 336
$14.02€12.29
-49.22%
Cappuccino
$2.58MUR 122
$2.78€2.44
-7.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03MUR 48.40
$2.78€2.44
-62.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59MUR 27.95
$2.05€1.79
-71.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.17MUR 102
$4.52€3.96
-51.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35MUR 158
$4.67€4.09
-28.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65MUR 77.6
$1.29€1.13
27.91%
White Bread(500g)
$0.66MUR 31.08
$2.14€1.87
-69.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32MUR 62.2
$1.93€1.69
-31.61%
Eggs
$2.25MUR 106
$3.49€3.05
-35.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.97MUR 564
$18.52€16.23
-35.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.26MUR 295
$9.53€8.35
-34.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.46MUR 587
$18.90€16.56
-34.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.05MUR 96.6
$2.62€2.30
-21.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.93MUR 90.8
$2.34€2.05
-17.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.49MUR 70.4
$2.08€1.82
-28.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.63MUR 124
$2.85€2.50
-7.72%
Potato(1kg)
$0.99MUR 46.77
$1.96€1.72
-49.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.00MUR 47.33
$1.85€1.62
-45.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.80MUR 37.65
$1.53€1.34
-47.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75MUR 35.23
$0.90€0.79
-16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.65MUR 314
$6.77€5.93
-1.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.26MUR 389
$7.79€6.82
6.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MUR 80.6
$1.38€1.21
23.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22MUR 105
$2.32€2.04
-4.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.05MUR 49.41
$3.00€2.62
-65.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$28.62€25.08
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.44MUR 209
$4.58€4.01
-3.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.75MUR 130
$2.13€1.86
29.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.19MUR 952
$29.55€25.89
-31.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.47MUR 69.2
$1.80€1.57
-18.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KMUR 1.7M
$38.5K€33.7K
-6.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
$33.3K€29.1K
-14.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.4MUR 2,376
$185€162
-72.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.45MUR 870
$22.68€19.87
-18.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.41MUR 1,574
$36.78€32.22
-9.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.91MUR 1,787
$57.8€50.6
-34.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.19€18.57
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.20MUR 292
$10.83€9.49
-42.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156MUR 7,344
$727€637
-78.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,017MUR 189.3K
$14.7K€12.9K
-72.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.7MUR 3,946
$87.6€76.7
-4.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$81.1MUR 3,820
$37.37€32.74
116.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$134MUR 6,304
$103€90.5
29.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.4MUR 4,447
$119€104
-20.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$516MUR 24.3K
$1,560€1,367
-66.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$347MUR 16.3K
$1,221€1,070
-71.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$939MUR 44.2K
$2,742€2,402
-65.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716MUR 33.8K
$1,992€1,745
-64.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$7,489€6,562
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$5,207€4,562
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surinam
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,355€2,063
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
3.39
96.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Surinam: July 20, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Surinam and $1,560 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Surinam vs $71.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $319 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 118% in total monthly costs ($1,061 vs $2,316 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 $1,591 in Surinam and $3,474 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: $516 in Surinam versus $1,560 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 $156 in Surinam versus $727 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 $43.00 versus $71.0 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 $1,061 in Surinam versus $2,316 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 118% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.