Cost of Living Comparison Between Suriname and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Suriname and China

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $299 in Suriname versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $524 in Suriname versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $749 in Suriname versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Suriname costs about 58% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Suriname 78% lower, China 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suriname
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.97 SRD 259
$2.86 ¥19.36
143.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.09 SRD 1,602
$23.29 ¥158
85.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.61 SRD 394
$4.83 ¥32.66
119.67%
Cappuccino
$2.78 SRD 103
$3.04 ¥20.52
-8.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 SRD 44.14
$0.45 ¥3.03
164.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 SRD 23.48
$0.27 ¥1.81
133.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.82 SRD 105
$0.99 ¥6.71
184.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 SRD 148
$2.03 ¥13.74
95.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suriname
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 SRD 61.7
$1.75 ¥11.86
-5.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.27 SRD 47.08
$1.67 ¥11.31
-23.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.45 SRD 54.0
$0.97 ¥6.56
49.48%
Eggs
$3.33 SRD 124
$1.54 ¥10.45
116.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.33 SRD 459
$13.30 ¥89.9
-7.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.45 SRD 203
$3.21 ¥21.69
69.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.25 SRD 381
$10.79 ¥73.0
-5.00%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 SRD 169
$1.81 ¥12.27
151.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 SRD 71.2
$1.31 ¥8.84
46.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 SRD 116
$1.50 ¥10.15
108.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.58 SRD 207
$1.14 ¥7.74
389.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 SRD 49.07
$0.73 ¥4.90
80.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 SRD 70.8
$0.87 ¥5.86
118.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.83 SRD 68.2
$0.57 ¥3.85
221.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 SRD 54.9
$0.54 ¥3.63
174.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 SRD 208
$3.53 ¥23.88
58.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.80 SRD 290
$11.71 ¥79.2
-33.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 SRD 83.9
$0.84 ¥5.67
169.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 SRD 126
$1.67 ¥11.29
102.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Suriname
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.45 SRD 16.74
$0.41 ¥2.75
9.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.4 SRD 3,286
$20.78 ¥141
325.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 SRD 112
$1.36 ¥9.21
122.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.45 SRD 91.1
$0.33 ¥2.21
642.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.83 SRD 366
$6.86 ¥46.40
43.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 SRD 40.16
$1.12 ¥7.57
-3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K SRD 916.3K
$19.2K ¥129.8K
28.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K SRD 946.5K
$16.9K ¥114.4K
50.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suriname
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.98 SRD 1,486
$51.8 ¥350
-22.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.35 SRD 980
$9.85 ¥66.6
167.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.68 SRD 1,067
$11.13 ¥75.3
157.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suriname
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.50 SRD 465
$39.10 ¥264
-68.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.80 SRD 736
$14.89 ¥101
32.98%
Cinema Ticket
$4.62 SRD 172
$6.25 ¥42.24
-26.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suriname
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$64.3 SRD 2,389
$404 ¥2,732
-84.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,892 SRD 70.3K
$17.8K ¥120.5K
-89.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suriname
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.64 SRD 1,325
$46.11 ¥312
-22.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.20 SRD 1,048
$32.27 ¥218
-12.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.1 SRD 2,791
$72.7 ¥491
3.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 SRD 4,167
$72.9 ¥493
53.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suriname
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 SRD 18.7K
$445 ¥3,009
12.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$216 SRD 8,032
$255 ¥1,727
-15.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 SRD 39.2K
$927 ¥6,266
13.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$578 SRD 21.5K
$532 ¥3,600
8.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$478 SRD 17.8K
$4,943 ¥33.4K
-90.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$402 SRD 15.0K
$2,492 ¥16.9K
-83.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suriname
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$284 SRD 10.5K
$1,057 ¥7,148
-73.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.25
4.06
300.25%

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

Last update for Suriname: June 7, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $124 in Suriname, $286 in China. Capital cities: $498 in Paramaribo vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $290 in Suriname, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 131% higher in China.

Public transport is 28% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 197% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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
Suriname vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Suriname?
At $871 per month in China and $498 in Suriname, there's a 75% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Suriname?
Suriname is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Suriname?
Rent in China beats Suriname across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,200 go in China vs Suriname?
In Suriname, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and Suriname?
It depends on what you're after. Suriname wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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