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 $1,061 per month in Surinam vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Surinam vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,364 per month in Surinam vs $3,095 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

$6.70 MUR 316

$11.95 MX$208

-43.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.40 MUR 2,045

$41.94 MX$730

3.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 MUR 336

$10.42 MX$181

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 122

$3.51 MX$61.2

-26.50%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.40

$1.52 MX$26.39

-32.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.95

$0.91 MX$15.84

-35.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 102

$3.04 MX$52.9

-28.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MUR 158

$4.37 MX$76.1

-23.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MUR 77.6

$1.42 MX$24.73

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.08

$1.83 MX$31.87

-63.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.2

$1.63 MX$28.45

-19.02%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 106

$2.54 MX$44.20

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 MUR 564

$8.57 MX$149

39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MUR 295

$8.49 MX$148

-26.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 MUR 587

$10.80 MX$188

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 96.6

$2.75 MX$47.94

-25.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 90.8

$1.44 MX$25.00

34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 70.4

$1.89 MX$32.83

-21.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 MUR 124

$2.17 MX$37.77

21.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.77

$1.78 MX$30.97

-44.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.33

$2.22 MX$38.71

-54.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.65

$1.07 MX$18.60

-25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.23

$1.08 MX$18.79

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 MUR 314

$4.15 MX$72.2

60.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MUR 389

$10.45 MX$182

-20.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 80.6

$1.74 MX$30.34

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MUR 105

$2.58 MX$44.92

-13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.41

$0.51 MX$8.94

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 MUR 209

$3.21 MX$55.9

38.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MUR 130

$2.50 MX$43.55

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.19 MUR 952

$3.19 MX$55.4

532.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MUR 69.2

$1.26 MX$21.87

16.67%

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

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

$29.7K MX$516.6K

21.47%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$23.7K MX$412.1K

20.50%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,376

$82.0 MX$1,427

-38.55%

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

$18.45 MUR 870

$22.73 MX$395

-18.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.41 MUR 1,574

$29.42 MX$512

13.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 MUR 1,787

$52.2 MX$908

-27.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 292

$4.93 MX$85.9

25.76%

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

$156 MUR 7,344

$202 MX$3,511

-22.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,017 MUR 189.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

-22.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MUR 3,946

$35.93 MX$625

133.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.1 MUR 3,820

$40.33 MX$702

100.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 MUR 6,304

$79.9 MX$1,390

67.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 MUR 4,447

$89.3 MX$1,554

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.3K

$948 MX$16.5K

-45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.3K

$465 MX$8,097

-25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 MUR 44.2K

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-42.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 MUR 33.8K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-39.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Surinam versus $948 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 $43.00 in Surinam versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $230 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 $1,591 per month in Surinam and $1,888 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 $1,061 in Surinam and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Surinam and $202 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 $1,061, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.