🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Surinam versus $1,472 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Surinam versus $2,359 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,403 in Surinam versus $3,245 in Mexico City.
🌍Living in Surinam costs roughly 28% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Surinam is 21% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.44MUR 302
$13.14MX$227
-50.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.31MUR 2,076
$53.5MX$926
-17.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.26MUR 340
$9.33MX$161
-22.19%
Cappuccino
$2.54MUR 119
$3.70MX$64.0
-31.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00MUR 47.01
$1.60MX$27.76
-37.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59MUR 27.87
$1.12MX$19.34
-47.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14MUR 100
$3.14MX$54.3
-31.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24MUR 152
$4.85MX$83.9
-33.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69MUR 79.2
$1.65MX$28.61
2.42%
White Bread(500g)
$0.71MUR 33.13
$2.71MX$46.96
-73.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.29MUR 60.2
$1.91MX$33.03
-32.46%
Eggs
$2.33MUR 109
$2.59MX$44.81
-10.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.10MUR 567
$9.81MX$170
23.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.16MUR 289
$8.43MX$146
-26.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.75MUR 597
$11.93MX$206
6.87%
Apples(1kg)
$1.98MUR 92.7
$2.95MX$51.1
-32.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.99MUR 93.3
$1.74MX$30.10
14.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.45MUR 68.0
$2.04MX$35.38
-28.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.74MUR 128
$2.06MX$35.64
33.01%
Potato(1kg)
$1.03MUR 48.17
$2.15MX$37.20
-52.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.00MUR 47.02
$2.26MX$39.02
-55.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85MUR 39.72
$1.39MX$23.97
-38.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74MUR 34.76
$1.12MX$19.31
-33.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.77MUR 317
$4.22MX$73.0
60.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.57MUR 401
$17.51MX$303
-51.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MUR 80.5
$1.71MX$29.58
0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26MUR 106
$3.63MX$62.8
-37.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.99MUR 46.55
$0.35MX$6.10
182.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.32MX$334
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.45MUR 209
$1.38MX$23.80
222.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.60MUR 122
$0.28MX$4.77
828.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.94MUR 934
$5.28MX$91.3
277.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.47MUR 68.8
$1.36MX$23.50
8.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2KMUR 1.7M
$19.1KMX$330.5K
89.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.2KMUR 1.4M
$23.6KMX$408.4K
23.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$49.79MUR 2,332
$40.53MX$701
22.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.39MUR 861
$27.38MX$474
-32.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.94MUR 1,543
$30.38MX$526
8.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.87MUR 1,774
$52.2MX$903
-27.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.48MX$458
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09MUR 285
$6.19MX$107
-1.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156MUR 7,295
$425MX$7,355
-63.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,977MUR 186.3K
$10.7KMX$185.7K
-62.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.2MUR 3,943
$58.3MX$1,009
44.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.3MUR 3,667
$44.57MX$771
75.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$133MUR 6,219
$103MX$1,791
28.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.3MUR 4,463
$109MX$1,881
-12.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$505MUR 23.6K
$1,014MX$17.5K
-50.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$353MUR 16.5K
$623MX$10.8K
-43.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$930MUR 43.5K
$2,119MX$36.7K
-56.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$724MUR 33.9K
$1,223MX$21.2K
-40.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,792MX$65.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,110MX$36.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,052MX$18.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
11.34
-41.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Surinam: July 25, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Surinam and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Surinam vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $293 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Surinam and in Mexico City?
Surinam and Mexico City differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,056 vs $1,472 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 Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $1,584 in Surinam and $2,208 in Mexico City 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 Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $505 in Surinam versus $1,014 in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City?
Childcare runs $156 in Surinam versus $425 in Mexico City. 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 $44.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. 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 $1,056 in Surinam versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surinam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City?
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 Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Surinam and Mexico City 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 Mexico City?
Expats usually find Surinam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.