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: $1,073 in Surinam versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,735 in Surinam versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Surinam versus $4,429 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 22% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MUR 272

$17.55 €15.12

-66.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.74 MUR 1,766

$64.5 €55.6

-41.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 MUR 344

$11.65 €10.04

-36.82%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MUR 126

$3.26 €2.81

-17.48%

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

$1.19 MUR 55.7

$2.49 €2.15

-52.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MUR 30.44

$1.67 €1.44

-61.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 MUR 127

$3.47 €2.99

-21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MUR 220

$3.58 €3.08

31.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MUR 74.6

$1.18 €1.02

34.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 MUR 37.31

$1.95 €1.68

-58.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MUR 54.2

$1.56 €1.35

-25.64%

Eggs

$2.67 MUR 125

$4.01 €3.46

-33.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 MUR 251

$13.27 €11.44

-59.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 MUR 294

$8.42 €7.26

-25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 MUR 521

$18.23 €15.72

-38.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MUR 134

$2.32 €2.00

23.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 MUR 125

$1.73 €1.49

54.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.6

$1.93 €1.67

-25.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 MUR 143

$2.64 €2.27

15.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 46.58

$1.90 €1.64

-47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.03

$2.11 €1.82

-51.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.86

$1.44 €1.24

-48.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MUR 39.57

$0.80 €0.69

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 MUR 307

$7.01 €6.04

-6.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 MUR 395

$5.92 €5.11

42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 79.9

$1.36 €1.18

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 MUR 111

$2.15 €1.85

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 MUR 194

$4.19 €3.61

-0.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 MUR 147

$1.10 €0.95

184.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.94 MUR 980

$17.26 €14.88

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.4

$2.25 €1.94

-37.78%

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

$36.4K MUR 1.7M

$34.5K €29.7K

5.75%

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

$31.2K MUR 1.5M

$41.6K €35.9K

-25.06%

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

$45.64 MUR 2,136

$171 €147

-73.29%

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

$10.66 MUR 499

$19.01 €16.38

-43.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.44 MUR 1,378

$34.28 €29.55

-14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.75 MUR 1,626

$49.65 €42.80

-30.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MUR 306

$10.10 €8.71

-35.25%

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

$128 MUR 6,002

$699 €603

-81.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,840 MUR 366.9K

$17.8K €15.3K

-55.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 MUR 3,590

$105 €90.2

-26.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 MUR 3,485

$47.97 €41.35

55.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MUR 5,570

$102 €87.8

16.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 MUR 3,615

$128 €111

-39.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 MUR 26.6K

$1,661 €1,432

-65.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MUR 18.9K

$1,228 €1,059

-67.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 MUR 52.8K

$2,915 €2,513

-61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 MUR 40.0K

$2,023 €1,744

-57.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

3.78

76.46%

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

Last update for Surinam: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $568 in Surinam and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Surinam vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $281 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 111% in total monthly costs ($1,073 vs $2,268 including rent). Surinam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,609 in Surinam and $3,402 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: $568 in Surinam versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,073 per month in Surinam versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,073 in Surinam versus $2,268 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 111% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.