Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,060 in Surinam versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Surinam versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,401 in Surinam versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Surinam costs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Surinam is 21% below, Lisbon is 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 MUR 313

$15.73 €13.42

-57.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.40 MUR 2,018

$63.2 €53.9

-31.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 MUR 337

$10.32 €8.80

-29.75%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 120

$2.81 €2.40

-8.54%

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

$0.98 MUR 45.56

$2.33 €1.99

-57.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 27.88

$1.51 €1.29

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MUR 103

$3.37 €2.87

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MUR 151

$3.91 €3.34

-17.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MUR 75.8

$1.08 €0.92

50.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.17

$1.75 €1.49

-59.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MUR 59.8

$1.75 €1.50

-26.29%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 104

$3.10 €2.64

-28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 MUR 556

$13.28 €11.33

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 MUR 293

$7.85 €6.70

-19.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 MUR 590

$16.05 €13.69

-21.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 95.3

$2.39 €2.04

-14.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 91.2

$1.72 €1.47

13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 69.4

$1.97 €1.68

-24.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 128

$2.55 €2.17

8.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.37

$1.79 €1.53

-41.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 46.90

$1.97 €1.68

-48.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.07

$1.96 €1.67

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 34.95

$0.84 €0.71

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 MUR 310

$6.82 €5.82

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 MUR 407

$5.85 €4.99

49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MUR 81.4

$1.38 €1.18

26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MUR 101

$2.92 €2.49

-26.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 48.61

$2.29 €1.95

-54.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 MUR 203

$4.12 €3.51

5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 MUR 122

$0.81 €0.69

223.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 MUR 918

$18.94 €16.16

4.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 64.5

$2.09 €1.78

-33.49%

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

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

$35.1K €30.0K

3.43%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.3M

$39.7K €33.9K

-27.28%

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

$48.90 MUR 2,274

$150 €128

-67.30%

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

$18.06 MUR 840

$20.49 €17.48

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.15 MUR 1,542

$39.15 €33.40

-15.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 MUR 1,783

$49.65 €42.35

-22.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 MUR 281

$9.20 €7.84

-34.35%

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

$153 MUR 7,104

$624 €533

-75.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 MUR 183.8K

$15.9K €13.6K

-75.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 MUR 3,926

$102 €87.2

-17.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 MUR 3,712

$40.88 €34.87

95.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,075

$95.7 €81.6

36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MUR 4,423

$121 €103

-21.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 MUR 24.3K

$1,653 €1,410

-68.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.1K

$1,233 €1,051

-71.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 MUR 44.9K

$3,043 €2,596

-68.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MUR 33.0K

$2,059 €1,756

-65.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

3.81

75.07%

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

Last update for Surinam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $522 in Surinam and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Surinam vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $270 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surinam and Lisbon differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,060 vs $2,243 including rent). Surinam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,590 in Surinam and $3,365 in Lisbon 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: $522 in Surinam versus $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,060 per month in Surinam versus $2,243 in Lisbon – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,060 in Surinam versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surinam but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Surinam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Surinam and Lisbon 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 112% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.