🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,066 in Surinam versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,742 in Surinam versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,418 in Surinam versus $3,278 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 20% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.54MUR 306
$12.98MX$226
-49.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.22MUR 2,021
$53.1MX$923
-18.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.30MUR 341
$9.72MX$169
-24.90%
Cappuccino
$2.62MUR 123
$3.75MX$65.2
-30.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MUR 44.13
$1.57MX$27.30
-40.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60MUR 28.13
$1.13MX$19.64
-46.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.18MUR 102
$3.18MX$55.3
-31.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26MUR 153
$4.66MX$81.1
-30.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.63MUR 76.3
$1.62MX$28.21
0.62%
White Bread(500g)
$0.69MUR 32.37
$2.71MX$47.09
-74.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.33MUR 62.2
$1.88MX$32.70
-29.26%
Eggs
$2.31MUR 108
$2.51MX$43.65
-7.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.92MUR 557
$10.08MX$175
18.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.14MUR 287
$8.29MX$144
-25.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.44MUR 581
$11.94MX$208
4.19%
Apples(1kg)
$2.03MUR 95.1
$2.86MX$49.77
-29.02%
Banana(1kg)
$2.00MUR 93.7
$1.75MX$30.45
14.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.45MUR 68.0
$2.08MX$36.27
-30.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.75MUR 128
$1.97MX$34.27
39.59%
Potato(1kg)
$0.98MUR 45.95
$2.16MX$37.58
-54.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.00MUR 46.96
$2.18MX$37.94
-54.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.86MUR 40.18
$1.39MX$24.20
-38.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79MUR 37.10
$1.12MX$19.57
-29.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71MUR 314
$4.20MX$73.1
59.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.38MUR 392
$14.25MX$248
-41.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MUR 79.8
$1.76MX$30.68
-2.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14MUR 99.9
$3.68MX$64.1
-41.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.04MUR 48.73
$0.39MX$6.71
166.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.66MX$325
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.53MUR 212
$1.39MX$24.12
225.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.68MUR 125
$0.30MX$5.29
793.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.62MUR 917
$5.42MX$94.3
261.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.47MUR 68.7
$1.35MX$23.50
8.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3KMUR 1.7M
$18.9KMX$328.6K
92.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4KMUR 1.4M
$23.2KMX$402.8K
26.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$48.55MUR 2,270
$40.82MX$710
18.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.55MUR 867
$27.50MX$479
-32.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.90MUR 1,585
$30.38MX$529
11.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.69MUR 1,762
$53.4MX$930
-29.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.30MX$458
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.15MUR 288
$6.27MX$109
-1.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156MUR 7,296
$436MX$7,588
-64.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,017MUR 187.8K
$10.5KMX$182.1K
-61.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.8MUR 4,058
$56.8MX$988
52.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$79.9MUR 3,736
$44.79MX$779
78.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$131MUR 6,143
$103MX$1,789
27.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.8MUR 4,432
$108MX$1,878
-12.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$520MUR 24.3K
$1,000MX$17.4K
-47.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$352MUR 16.4K
$620MX$10.8K
-43.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$965MUR 45.1K
$2,137MX$37.2K
-54.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$731MUR 34.2K
$1,235MX$21.5K
-40.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,865MX$67.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,332MX$40.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surinam
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,067MX$18.6K
-
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: April 26, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Surinam and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Surinam vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $286 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,066 vs $1,484 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 $1,599 in Surinam and $2,225 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: $520 in Surinam versus $1,000 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 $436 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 $43.00 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 $1,066 in Surinam versus $1,484 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.