Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Surinam vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,754 per month in Surinam vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,427 per month in Surinam vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surinam is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surinam and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 311

$11.73 MX$205

-44.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.63 MUR 2,116

$41.62 MX$727

7.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 MUR 341

$10.64 MX$186

-32.52%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MUR 123

$3.52 MX$61.5

-26.42%

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

$0.98 MUR 46.27

$1.51 MX$26.37

-35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.96

$0.97 MX$17.00

-41.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MUR 106

$2.95 MX$51.5

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MUR 161

$4.45 MX$77.8

-23.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MUR 79.3

$1.38 MX$24.16

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.50

$1.89 MX$33.04

-65.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.9

$1.64 MX$28.59

-23.17%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 111

$2.51 MX$43.76

-6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 MUR 566

$8.34 MX$146

43.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 MUR 295

$8.34 MX$146

-25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 MUR 602

$10.73 MX$187

18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 98.6

$2.60 MX$45.48

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 93.4

$1.46 MX$25.45

34.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 68.5

$1.90 MX$33.19

-24.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MUR 130

$2.08 MX$36.26

31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.46

$1.78 MX$31.01

-42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 45.10

$2.19 MX$38.16

-56.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MUR 37.21

$1.04 MX$18.16

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.35

$1.08 MX$18.80

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 MUR 309

$4.08 MX$71.3

60.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 MUR 389

$10.32 MX$180

-20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 84.3

$1.71 MX$29.90

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 106

$2.58 MX$44.98

-13.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 47.64

$0.51 MX$8.90

96.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MUR 211

$3.26 MX$57.0

36.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 MUR 128

$2.49 MX$43.51

8.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 MUR 940

$3.25 MX$56.7

510.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 66.0

$1.31 MX$22.83

6.11%

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

$35.1K MUR 1.7M

$30.3K MX$528.8K

15.88%

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

$28.6K MUR 1.4M

$23.4K MX$409.2K

21.89%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,388

$82.9 MX$1,447

-39.22%

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

$18.62 MUR 883

$22.22 MX$388

-16.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.52 MUR 1,589

$29.34 MX$512

14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.53 MUR 1,779

$51.6 MX$902

-27.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 MUR 283

$5.07 MX$88.5

17.95%

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

$157 MUR 7,443

$201 MX$3,507

-21.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 MUR 187.4K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

-24.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,098

$36.92 MX$645

134.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.0 MUR 3,841

$39.79 MX$695

103.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 MUR 6,303

$78.5 MX$1,370

69.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 MUR 4,511

$87.1 MX$1,521

9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.6K

$973 MX$17.0K

-46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MUR 16.6K

$468 MX$8,169

-24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 MUR 45.8K

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-41.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 MUR 33.8K

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Surinam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Surinam versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Surinam versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Surinam vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Surinam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,622 per month in Surinam and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surinam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,081 in Surinam and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $157 per month in Surinam and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surinam, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Surinam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surinam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Surinam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.