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 $1,067 per month in Surinam vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Surinam vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,386 per month in Surinam vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surinam is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surinam and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MUR 269

$11.71 MX$198

-50.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 MUR 1,809

$46.59 MX$786

-16.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MUR 356

$11.65 MX$197

-34.33%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MUR 121

$4.09 MX$69.1

-36.43%

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

$1.13 MUR 52.7

$1.37 MX$23.20

-17.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MUR 30.68

$0.83 MX$14.07

-20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MUR 124

$3.35 MX$56.6

-20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MUR 219

$6.91 MX$117

-31.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MUR 74.9

$1.73 MX$29.15

-6.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MUR 33.90

$2.26 MX$38.15

-67.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MUR 54.1

$1.77 MX$29.86

-34.46%

Eggs

$2.55 MUR 119

$2.73 MX$46.12

-6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 MUR 249

$9.18 MX$155

-41.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 MUR 299

$8.92 MX$151

-28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 MUR 530

$12.60 MX$213

-9.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 128

$3.02 MX$51.0

-8.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 126

$1.57 MX$26.51

72.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MUR 65.4

$2.13 MX$35.88

-34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 MUR 141

$2.26 MX$38.22

34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.16

$2.00 MX$33.82

-51.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MUR 44.79

$2.06 MX$34.85

-53.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.39

$1.18 MX$19.91

-37.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MUR 42.89

$1.20 MX$20.32

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MUR 303

$4.63 MX$78.2

40.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 MUR 399

$10.69 MX$180

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MUR 76.8

$1.62 MX$27.33

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MUR 106

$2.88 MX$48.63

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MUR 201

$5.45 MX$91.9

-20.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 MUR 148

$3.70 MX$62.5

-14.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.11 MUR 983

$5.98 MX$101

253.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MUR 62.0

$1.55 MX$26.22

-14.19%

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

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

$22.3K MX$376.8K

64.78%

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

$31.6K MUR 1.5M

$25.9K MX$438.0K

21.70%

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

$45.49 MUR 2,118

$89.1 MX$1,504

-48.96%

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

$10.80 MUR 503

$25.04 MX$423

-56.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 MUR 1,350

$31.50 MX$532

-7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.88 MUR 1,438

$67.8 MX$1,144

-54.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MUR 300

$5.05 MX$85.2

27.72%

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

$126 MUR 5,853

$225 MX$3,797

-44.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,707 MUR 358.9K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

82.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 MUR 3,665

$47.44 MX$801

65.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.8 MUR 3,530

$44.98 MX$759

68.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 MUR 5,679

$82.0 MX$1,384

48.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 MUR 3,569

$92.1 MX$1,555

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 MUR 28.2K

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-43.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 MUR 20.7K

$405 MX$6,842

9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MUR 57.8K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-35.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MUR 34.5K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-43.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.45

-41.75%

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

Last update for Surinam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Surinam versus $1,069 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 $39.00 in Surinam versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $277 – making Surinam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 21%, 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 $1,600 per month in Surinam and $1,940 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 $1,067 in Surinam and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Surinam and $225 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 $1,067, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.