Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Surinam: $626 a month against $915 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Surinam
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$626
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$915
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surinam and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surinam and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Surinam versus $915 in Cebu.

  • Surinam $626
  • Cebu $915

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,049 in Surinam versus $1,418 in Cebu.

  • Surinam $1,049
  • Cebu $1,418

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Surinam versus $1,921 in Cebu.

  • Surinam $1,472
  • Cebu $1,921

Living in Surinam costs roughly 32% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surinam 54% lower, Cebu 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.96 MUR 280
$3.05 ₱192
95.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.18 MUR 1,797
$24.00 ₱1,511
59.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 MUR 355
$3.99 ₱251
88.97%
Cappuccino
$2.70 MUR 127
$2.50 ₱157
8.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 MUR 55.3
$1.54 ₱97.1
-23.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 MUR 31.99
$0.50 ₱31.37
36.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 MUR 126
$1.78 ₱112
50.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MUR 218
$2.17 ₱136
112.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 MUR 75.6
$2.00 ₱126
-19.50%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 MUR 33.80
$1.37 ₱86.2
-47.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 MUR 51.8
$1.03 ₱64.9
6.80%
Eggs
$2.65 MUR 125
$2.03 ₱128
30.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.31 MUR 250
$10.20 ₱642
-47.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.18 MUR 291
$4.45 ₱280
38.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.05 MUR 520
$7.67 ₱483
44.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 MUR 132
$3.31 ₱208
-15.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.66 MUR 125
$1.46 ₱91.8
82.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 MUR 68.3
$2.32 ₱146
-37.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.98 MUR 140
$1.49 ₱94.0
100.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 MUR 43.58
$2.34 ₱147
-60.26%
Onion (1kg)
$0.96 MUR 45.08
$1.94 ₱122
-50.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 MUR 34.57
$1.16 ₱73.0
-37.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 MUR 41.98
$0.68 ₱42.89
30.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.34 MUR 298
$2.99 ₱188
112.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.60 MUR 405
$6.24 ₱393
37.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MUR 78.3
$1.23 ₱77.3
34.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 MUR 112
$1.73 ₱109
37.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.23 ₱14.36
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$12.34 ₱777
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 MUR 192
$0.79 ₱49.96
417.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.22 MUR 151
$0.22 ₱13.86
1363.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.97 MUR 987
$4.54 ₱286
361.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 MUR 65.2
$1.32 ₱82.9
5.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.0K MUR 1.7M
$21.0K ₱1.3M
75.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K MUR 1.4M
$19.4K ₱1.2M
56.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.93 MUR 2,115
$119 ₱7,464
-62.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.67 MUR 502
$14.22 ₱896
-24.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.60 MUR 1,346
$27.47 ₱1,730
4.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$32.31 ₱2,034
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.50 ₱409
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.39 MUR 301
$5.40 ₱340
18.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$124 MUR 5,826
$276 ₱17.4K
-55.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,598 MUR 357.7K
$7,866 ₱495.3K
-3.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.6 MUR 3,702
$49.37 ₱3,108
59.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.1 MUR 3,533
$24.58 ₱1,548
205.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 MUR 5,633
$76.6 ₱4,825
56.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.1 MUR 3,678
$58.9 ₱3,706
32.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$503 ₱31.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$305 ₱19.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,075 ₱67.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$632 ₱39.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,870 ₱180.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,877 ₱118.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surinam
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$336 ₱21.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
7.2
-7.36%

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

Last update for Surinam: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Surinam
$217
Cebu
$210 3.6% $7.9
Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
$158
Cebu
$94 40.4% $64
Eating Out
Surinam
$133
Cebu
$88 33.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
$84
Cebu
$160 90.3% $76
Getting Around
Surinam
$20 *
Cebu
$15 24.9% $5
Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
$13 *
Cebu
$43 237% $30
Accommodation & Living
Surinam
- *
Cebu
$305

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in Surinam vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇺 Surinam
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
08:31 8:31 AM
12:31 12:31 PM
4 h ahead of Surinam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,500
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surinam Cebu 8,020 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Surinam
  • Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Surinam?
Surinam is cheaper overall, especially in utilities and leisure. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $938 in Surinam and $1,372 in Cebu 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 food prices compare in Surinam and in Cebu?
Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Surinam and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $626 per month in Surinam versus $915 in Cebu – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,200 enough for either Surinam or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Surinam gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Surinam or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Surinam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Surinam or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Surinam and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Surinam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Surinam vs other spots: cost of living compared

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