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 $299 per month in Suriname vs $1,536 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $532 per month in Suriname vs $2,320 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $765 per month in Suriname vs $3,104 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Suriname is roughly 81% cheaper than Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Suriname sits 78% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 SRD 267

$9.69 ₡4,405

-26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.56 SRD 1,632

$59.8 ₡27.2K

-27.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 SRD 384

$9.65 ₡4,390

6.22%

Cappuccino

$2.77 SRD 104

$3.99 ₡1,814

-30.58%

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

$1.25 SRD 46.67

$2.18 ₡991

-42.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 SRD 23.92

$1.64 ₡744

-60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 SRD 109

$3.05 ₡1,385

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 SRD 149

$4.42 ₡2,008

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SRD 64.4

$2.05 ₡932

-16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 SRD 46.00

$3.21 ₡1,462

-61.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 SRD 54.6

$2.49 ₡1,131

-41.37%

Eggs

$3.34 SRD 125

$3.29 ₡1,495

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 SRD 468

$9.11 ₡4,141

36.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 SRD 202

$9.70 ₡4,409

-44.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 SRD 388

$13.19 ₡5,999

-21.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 SRD 162

$4.53 ₡2,059

-4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 SRD 71.8

$1.57 ₡713

22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 SRD 122

$3.20 ₡1,457

2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 SRD 204

$2.94 ₡1,337

85.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SRD 50.6

$2.99 ₡1,359

-54.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 SRD 71.3

$2.71 ₡1,233

-29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 SRD 72.0

$1.03 ₡468

86.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SRD 55.0

$2.50 ₡1,136

-41.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 SRD 211

$5.05 ₡2,296

11.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 SRD 322

$16.18 ₡7,359

-46.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 SRD 80.4

$2.39 ₡1,089

-10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 SRD 124

$2.77 ₡1,258

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 SRD 16.83

$0.95 ₡430

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.6 SRD 3,433

$48.97 ₡22.3K

87.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 SRD 110

$1.86 ₡846

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 SRD 96.0

$2.01 ₡914

27.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 SRD 380

$7.75 ₡3,526

30.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 SRD 40.85

$1.50 ₡683

-27.33%

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

$25.4K SRD 950.5K

$36.8K ₡16.7M

-31.02%

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

$24.5K SRD 918.7K

$35.5K ₡16.1M

-30.85%

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

$38.62 SRD 1,447

$87.5 ₡39.8K

-55.85%

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

$26.01 SRD 974

$25.82 ₡11.7K

0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.78 SRD 1,078

$54.5 ₡24.8K

-47.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.70 SRD 476

$56.4 ₡25.7K

-77.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.09 SRD 752

$29.13 ₡13.2K

-31.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 SRD 178

$9.14 ₡4,156

-48.03%

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

$62.5 SRD 2,340

$555 ₡252.3K

-88.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,953 SRD 73.2K

$9,828 ₡4.5M

-80.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.81 SRD 1,342

$73.9 ₡33.6K

-51.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.94 SRD 1,084

$54.2 ₡24.6K

-46.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 SRD 2,786

$119 ₡53.9K

-37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 SRD 4,153

$102 ₡46.4K

8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 SRD 19.1K

$822 ₡373.9K

-37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 SRD 8,253

$549 ₡249.6K

-59.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 SRD 39.6K

$1,469 ₡667.9K

-28.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 SRD 21.6K

$1,023 ₡465.3K

-43.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$493 SRD 18.5K

$2,327 ₡1.1M

-78.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$425 SRD 15.9K

$1,612 ₡733.2K

-73.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 SRD 10.6K

$1,076 ₡489.4K

-73.65%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $125 in Suriname vs $776 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $500 in Paramaribo and $872 in San Jose.

Average salary: $289 in Suriname vs $1,110 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 521% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 155% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 77% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 284% higher in Costa Rica, giving Suriname 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 Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suriname is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 221% 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 221% 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.