Cost of Living Comparison Between Suriname and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Suriname and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $296 per month in Suriname vs $1,540 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $524 per month in Suriname vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $752 per month in Suriname vs $3,107 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Suriname is roughly 81% lower than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Suriname sits 78% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 SRD 268

$10.13 ₡4,542

-29.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.38 SRD 1,593

$59.8 ₡26.8K

-29.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 SRD 385

$9.92 ₡4,447

3.33%

Cappuccino

$2.71 SRD 102

$4.06 ₡1,822

-33.25%

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

$1.18 SRD 44.31

$2.12 ₡949

-44.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 SRD 23.89

$1.73 ₡774

-63.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 SRD 104

$2.99 ₡1,342

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 SRD 154

$4.50 ₡2,016

-9.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SRD 61.8

$2.02 ₡907

-18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 SRD 47.88

$3.09 ₡1,385

-58.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 SRD 55.3

$2.43 ₡1,089

-39.51%

Eggs

$3.21 SRD 121

$3.32 ₡1,487

-3.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 SRD 465

$9.18 ₡4,116

34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 SRD 204

$9.31 ₡4,176

-41.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 SRD 388

$13.22 ₡5,929

-21.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 SRD 167

$4.74 ₡2,124

-6.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SRD 73.4

$1.61 ₡720

21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SRD 117

$3.25 ₡1,456

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 SRD 199

$2.96 ₡1,325

79.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SRD 50.7

$2.92 ₡1,310

-53.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SRD 72.7

$2.78 ₡1,245

-30.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 SRD 72.5

$1.02 ₡460

89.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SRD 55.3

$2.45 ₡1,100

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 SRD 213

$5.06 ₡2,270

12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 SRD 306

$16.79 ₡7,530

-51.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SRD 84.6

$2.30 ₡1,030

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 SRD 125

$2.81 ₡1,259

18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SRD 18.14

$1.03 ₡460

-53.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.4 SRD 3,323

$48.91 ₡21.9K

80.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 SRD 114

$1.81 ₡811

66.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 SRD 94.4

$2.01 ₡903

24.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 SRD 379

$7.68 ₡3,443

31.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 SRD 42.18

$1.50 ₡674

-25.33%

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

$24.9K SRD 934.2K

$36.2K ₡16.2M

-31.32%

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

$24.9K SRD 935.1K

$36.0K ₡16.1M

-30.92%

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

$39.83 SRD 1,497

$87.9 ₡39.4K

-54.67%

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

$26.45 SRD 994

$25.69 ₡11.5K

2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.48 SRD 1,108

$54.3 ₡24.4K

-45.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.68 SRD 477

$56.9 ₡25.5K

-77.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.37 SRD 766

$28.68 ₡12.9K

-28.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 SRD 173

$9.00 ₡4,034

-49.00%

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

$63.3 SRD 2,379

$556 ₡249.4K

-88.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,921 SRD 72.2K

$10.2K ₡4.6M

-81.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.07 SRD 1,356

$73.4 ₡32.9K

-50.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 SRD 1,075

$53.2 ₡23.8K

-46.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 SRD 2,885

$119 ₡53.3K

-35.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 SRD 4,216

$103 ₡46.3K

8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 SRD 19.2K

$799 ₡358.2K

-36.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 SRD 8,295

$543 ₡243.5K

-59.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SRD 41.2K

$1,471 ₡659.7K

-25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 SRD 21.1K

$1,055 ₡473.3K

-46.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$475 SRD 17.9K

$2,461 ₡1.1M

-80.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$403 SRD 15.2K

$1,640 ₡735.2K

-75.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 SRD 10.6K

$1,084 ₡486.0K

-74.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.25

10.53

54.32%

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

Last update for Suriname: July 28, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $125 in Suriname vs $752 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $501 in Paramaribo and $873 in San Jose.

Average salary: $288 in Suriname vs $1,101 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 502% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 160% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 77% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 282% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Suriname.

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 Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suriname is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 223% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Suriname, contributing to the overall 223% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Suriname, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Suriname is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.