🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,076 in Surinam versus $1,447 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Surinam versus $2,310 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,421 in Surinam versus $3,174 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Surinam costs roughly 26% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Surinam is 20% below, Mexico City is 8% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.72MUR 316
$12.98MX$223
-48.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.73MUR 2,059
$52.6MX$903
-16.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.34MUR 345
$9.43MX$162
-22.16%
Cappuccino
$2.65MUR 125
$3.57MX$61.3
-25.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MUR 44.77
$1.61MX$27.55
-40.99%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56MUR 26.37
$1.15MX$19.81
-51.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.18MUR 103
$3.15MX$54.0
-30.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32MUR 156
$4.86MX$83.4
-31.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MUR 76.4
$1.70MX$29.17
-4.71%
White Bread(500g)
$0.66MUR 31.20
$2.64MX$45.23
-75.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.27MUR 59.6
$1.90MX$32.67
-33.16%
Eggs
$2.34MUR 110
$2.54MX$43.62
-7.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.03MUR 567
$10.08MX$173
19.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.30MUR 296
$8.29MX$142
-24.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.85MUR 605
$11.57MX$199
11.06%
Apples(1kg)
$1.97MUR 92.6
$3.03MX$52.0
-34.98%
Banana(1kg)
$2.00MUR 94.3
$1.71MX$29.35
16.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.43MUR 67.2
$2.05MX$35.16
-30.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.62MUR 123
$2.06MX$35.36
27.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.03MUR 48.65
$2.06MX$35.43
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.01MUR 47.77
$2.17MX$37.25
-53.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85MUR 39.99
$1.40MX$24.08
-39.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76MUR 35.99
$1.12MX$19.26
-32.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.74MUR 317
$4.29MX$73.7
57.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.26MUR 389
$15.41MX$265
-46.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78MUR 83.8
$1.67MX$28.74
6.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26MUR 107
$3.69MX$63.3
-38.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.04MUR 49.20
$0.38MX$6.55
173.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.06MX$327
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.52MUR 213
$1.38MX$23.70
227.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.73MUR 129
$0.28MX$4.74
875.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.90MUR 937
$5.42MX$92.9
267.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.44MUR 67.9
$1.28MX$21.98
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3KMUR 1.7M
$19.0KMX$325.8K
91.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1KMUR 1.4M
$23.5KMX$402.7K
23.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$49.27MUR 2,320
$41.02MX$704
20.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.45MUR 869
$26.92MX$462
-31.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.54MUR 1,580
$29.69MX$510
12.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.70MUR 1,823
$52.3MX$898
-26.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.23MX$450
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.89MUR 277
$6.18MX$106
-4.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$153MUR 7,227
$427MX$7,331
-64.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,018MUR 189.2K
$10.7KMX$183.6K
-62.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.7MUR 4,036
$56.8MX$975
50.86%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$79.5MUR 3,746
$44.83MX$769
77.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$134MUR 6,300
$105MX$1,794
27.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.0MUR 4,379
$106MX$1,819
-12.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$513MUR 24.1K
$995MX$17.1K
-48.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$351MUR 16.5K
$621MX$10.7K
-43.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$955MUR 45.0K
$2,126MX$36.5K
-55.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$735MUR 34.6K
$1,254MX$21.5K
-41.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,903MX$67.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,096MX$36.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,107MX$19.0K
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Surinam and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Surinam vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $288 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 Mexico City?
Surinam and Mexico City differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,076 vs $1,447 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 $1,614 in Surinam and $2,171 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 Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Surinam versus $995 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 $153 in Surinam versus $427 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 $53.0 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 $1,076 in Surinam versus $1,447 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 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.