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 $1,060 per month in Surinam vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Surinam vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Surinam vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surinam is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surinam and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 MUR 313

$11.67 MX$202

-42.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.40 MUR 2,018

$41.88 MX$726

3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 MUR 337

$10.40 MX$180

-30.29%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 120

$3.61 MX$62.6

-28.81%

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

$0.98 MUR 45.56

$1.47 MX$25.45

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 27.88

$0.91 MX$15.80

-34.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MUR 103

$3.03 MX$52.6

-26.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MUR 151

$4.47 MX$77.4

-27.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MUR 75.8

$1.38 MX$23.83

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.17

$1.84 MX$31.93

-61.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MUR 59.8

$1.61 MX$27.82

-19.88%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.57 MX$44.52

-13.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 MUR 556

$8.49 MX$147

40.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 MUR 293

$8.49 MX$147

-25.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 MUR 590

$10.99 MX$190

15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 95.3

$2.73 MX$47.25

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 91.2

$1.50 MX$25.92

30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 69.4

$1.96 MX$33.93

-23.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 128

$2.12 MX$36.70

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.37

$1.86 MX$32.30

-44.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 46.90

$2.17 MX$37.67

-53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.07

$1.07 MX$18.59

-21.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 34.95

$1.05 MX$18.18

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 MUR 310

$4.19 MX$72.6

58.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 MUR 407

$10.28 MX$178

-14.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MUR 81.4

$1.67 MX$28.87

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MUR 101

$2.49 MX$43.12

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 48.61

$0.54 MX$9.37

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 MUR 203

$3.10 MX$53.8

40.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 MUR 122

$2.46 MX$42.66

6.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 MUR 918

$3.24 MX$56.1

508.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 64.5

$1.26 MX$21.83

10.32%

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

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

20.41%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.3M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

23.20%

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

$48.90 MUR 2,274

$84.0 MX$1,456

-41.78%

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

$18.06 MUR 840

$22.21 MX$385

-18.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.15 MUR 1,542

$29.65 MX$514

11.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 MUR 1,783

$52.6 MX$912

-27.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 MUR 281

$4.95 MX$85.7

22.02%

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

$153 MUR 7,104

$198 MX$3,438

-22.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 MUR 183.8K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-25.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 MUR 3,926

$35.95 MX$623

134.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 MUR 3,712

$40.06 MX$694

99.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,075

$78.8 MX$1,365

65.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MUR 4,423

$86.5 MX$1,499

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 MUR 24.3K

$977 MX$16.9K

-46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.1K

$471 MX$8,158

-26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 MUR 44.9K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-39.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MUR 33.0K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-41.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Surinam versus $977 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 $43 in Surinam versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Surinam vs $252 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 19%, 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 $1,590 per month in Surinam and $1,891 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 $1,060 in Surinam and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Surinam and $198 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 $1,060, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.