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 $325 per month in Suriname vs $1,676 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $548 per month in Suriname vs $2,636 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $771 per month in Suriname vs $3,595 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 76% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.25 SRD 502

$11.06 ₡4,916

19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.24 SRD 1,752

$56.5 ₡25.1K

-18.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 SRD 405

$10.92 ₡4,855

-2.29%

Cappuccino

$2.84 SRD 108

$4.48 ₡1,992

-36.61%

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

$1.48 SRD 56.3

$2.34 ₡1,042

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SRD 33.15

$1.90 ₡843

-54.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 SRD 92.3

$3.31 ₡1,471

-26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 SRD 145

$4.44 ₡1,975

-13.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SRD 69.4

$2.43 ₡1,081

-24.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SRD 52.9

$3.65 ₡1,621

-61.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 SRD 51.6

$2.85 ₡1,268

-52.28%

Eggs

$2.93 SRD 111

$4.15 ₡1,844

-29.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 SRD 412

$10.13 ₡4,504

7.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 SRD 243

$10.55 ₡4,690

-39.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 SRD 370

$13.81 ₡6,136

-29.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 SRD 183

$5.12 ₡2,278

-5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 SRD 84.8

$1.72 ₡763

30.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 SRD 139

$3.71 ₡1,649

-1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 SRD 221

$3.40 ₡1,511

71.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SRD 48.61

$3.46 ₡1,536

-63.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 SRD 72.5

$3.11 ₡1,384

-38.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 SRD 58.7

$1.14 ₡509

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 SRD 53.3

$2.77 ₡1,231

-49.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 SRD 222

$5.47 ₡2,429

6.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 SRD 305

$16.31 ₡7,249

-50.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SRD 78.6

$2.69 ₡1,196

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 SRD 143

$3.33 ₡1,480

13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 SRD 22.92

$1.12 ₡500

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.8 SRD 3,479

$65.7 ₡29.2K

39.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 SRD 112

$2.19 ₡971

34.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SRD 77.2

$2.07 ₡922

-1.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.88 SRD 374

$9.41 ₡4,181

4.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 SRD 43.70

$1.56 ₡692

-26.28%

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

$25.3K SRD 957.2K

$33.9K ₡15.1M

-25.60%

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

$24.7K SRD 937.3K

$37.4K ₡16.6M

-33.88%

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

$38.34 SRD 1,453

$96.4 ₡42.8K

-60.22%

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

$25.01 SRD 948

$31.48 ₡14.0K

-20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.50 SRD 1,156

$59.5 ₡26.4K

-48.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.30 SRD 504

$65.9 ₡29.3K

-79.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 SRD 759

$22.45 ₡9,978

-10.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 SRD 191

$8.90 ₡3,957

-43.48%

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

$63.3 SRD 2,400

$748 ₡332.4K

-91.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,733 SRD 65.7K

$12.8K ₡5.7M

-86.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.59 SRD 1,425

$76.9 ₡34.2K

-51.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.48 SRD 1,004

$56.8 ₡25.2K

-53.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 SRD 2,733

$133 ₡59.2K

-45.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 SRD 3,980

$107 ₡47.7K

-2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 SRD 18.7K

$873 ₡388.1K

-43.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 SRD 9,996

$650 ₡288.9K

-59.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 SRD 43.8K

$1,779 ₡790.8K

-34.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SRD 19.2K

$1,193 ₡530.0K

-57.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 SRD 17.8K

$2,452 ₡1.1M

-80.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 SRD 15.4K

$1,642 ₡729.8K

-75.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 SRD 10.6K

$1,059 ₡470.5K

-73.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.25

9.56

69.98%

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

Last update for Suriname: September 15, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $120 in Suriname vs $833 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $481 in Paramaribo and $965 in San Jose.

Average salary: $290 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 594% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 141% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 38% more expensive in Suriname.

Salaries are 280% 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 183% 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 183% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 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.