Cost Of Living For a Student in Suriname 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: SRD
Average monthly spending for students in Suriname
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Suriname?
Students in Suriname spend around 2,700 SRD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 400 SRD or as high as 18,000 SRD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Suriname
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 13,000 SRD | 26,000 SRD | 34,000 SRD |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 430 SRD | 640 SRD | 1,700 SRD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 640 SRD | 1,000 SRD | 2,600 SRD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 860 SRD | 1,300 SRD | 3,400 SRD |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 86,000 SRD | 130,000 SRD | 260,000 SRD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 100,000 SRD | 170,000 SRD | 640,000 SRD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 170,000 SRD | 520,000 SRD | 1M SRD |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
Double Bed
Single Bed
Living Room
| 570 SRD | 740 SRD | 2,600 SRD |
Dining Table
Sofa or Couch
| 340 SRD | 470 SRD | 1,000 SRD |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 340 SRD | 520 SRD | 1,000 SRD |
Fridge or Freezer
Washing Machine
| 400 SRD | 570 SRD | 1,000 SRD |
Stove or Cooker
Mobile Phone
Laptop or Computer
| 470 SRD | 570 SRD | 1,000 SRD |
How do students spend their money in Suriname?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost16%
16% of total expenses on average (11% to 22%)
| LOW | $2.7 97 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $18 650 SRD |
| HIGH | $120 4,300 SRD |
| Per Month |
Students in Suriname typically spend from 11% to 22% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 16% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 650 SRD with expenditure ranging from 97 SRD to 4,300 SRD. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities7%
7% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $0.46 16 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $3.1 110 SRD |
| HIGH | $20 720 SRD |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Suriname ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 110 SRD with 16 SRD and 720 SRD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel3%
3% of total expenses on average (4% to 9%)
| LOW | $0.80 28 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $5.3 190 SRD |
| HIGH | $36 1,300 SRD |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 28 SRD to 1,300 SRD in a month on commuting with 190 SRD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 3% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 9%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost24%
24% of total expenses on average (18% to 28%)
| LOW | $2.3 81 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $15 540 SRD |
| HIGH | $100 3,600 SRD |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Suriname is 540 SRD. The cost of groceries can range between 81 SRD to 3,600 SRD. Students spend on average about 24% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 18% and 28% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare10%
10% of total expenses on average (7% to 13%)
| LOW | $0.68 24 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $4.6 160 SRD |
| HIGH | $31 1,100 SRD |
| Per Month |
Students in Suriname allocate 7% to 13% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 10%. The range of medical expenses range from 24 SRD to 1,100 SRD with 160 SRD being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping2%
2% of total expenses on average (1% to 6%)
| LOW | $0.57 20 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $3.8 130 SRD |
| HIGH | $25 900 SRD |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 20 SRD to 900 SRD with 130 SRD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 1% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $2.2 77 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $15 510 SRD |
| HIGH | $97 3,400 SRD |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 510 SRD per month with 77 SRD being the minimum spent amount and 3,400 SRD being the maximum.
Other Expenses20%
20% of total expenses on average (14% to 26%)
| LOW | $1.7 60 SRD |
| AVERAGE | $11 400 SRD |
| HIGH | $76 2,700 SRD |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Suriname
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Suriname?
Around 43% of surveyed students think that living in Suriname is affordable with proper budgeting while 57% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Suriname
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options53%
Few low-cost options47%
Based on the survey, 53% of the students living in Suriname have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 47% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Suriname whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes41%
No59%
Based on the survey, 59% of the students living in Suriname said that they don't have an emergency fund while 41% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Suriname
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy38%
We asked student guardians and parents in Suriname whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 62% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 38% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Suriname have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 58% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 42% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance58%
Easily manages finances42%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Suriname
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Suriname
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 430 SRD | 640 SRD | 1,700 SRD |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 640 SRD | 1,000 SRD | 2,600 SRD |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 860 SRD | 1,300 SRD | 3,400 SRD |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,000 SRD | 1,700 SRD | 4,700 SRD |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,100 SRD | 5,200 SRD | 10,000 SRD |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 1,700 SRD | 2,600 SRD | 7,400 SRD |
House monthly rent cost
| 2,100 SRD | 5,200 SRD | 10,000 SRD |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 2,600 SRD | 6,400 SRD | 10,000 SRD |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Suriname ranges between 430 SRD and 1,700 SRD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 640 SRD to 2,600 SRD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 860 SRD and 3,400 SRD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 1,000 SRD to 4,700 SRD. The average rent of a townhouse in Suriname is around 2,600 SRD while house rental costs can be as high as 5,200 SRD per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 2,600 SRD to 10,000 SRD per month.
Apartment and house prices in Suriname
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 86,000 SRD | 130,000 SRD | 260,000 SRD |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 100,000 SRD | 170,000 SRD | 640,000 SRD |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 170,000 SRD | 520,000 SRD | 1M SRD |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 570,000 SRD | 860,000 SRD | 2.6M SRD |
Townhouse price
| 740,000 SRD | 1.7M SRD | 6.4M SRD |
House price
| 860,000 SRD | 5.2M SRD | 7.4M SRD |
| $24,000 | $150,000 | $210,000 |
Villa price
| $29,000 | $160,000 | $240,000 |
The average price of a studio apartment in Suriname can range from 86,000 SRD to 260,000 SRD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 100,000 SRD to 640,000 SRD. A villa can cost you 5.7M SRD on average with prices ranging from 1M SRD to 8.6M SRD.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Suriname will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 27 | x73 monthly income | 184 |
Property prices in Suriname can be x73 to x184 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x73 multiples of the average monthly salary in Suriname.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Suriname is around 27%. This means that people pay 27% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 17% to 37% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
25% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
| 8.1 SRD | 100 SRD | 1,000 SRD |
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Suriname
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Suriname
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 110 SRD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 26 SRD to 69 SRD with 52 SRD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 34 SRD but can range between 21 SRD and 100 SRD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Suriname is around 7%. This means that people pay 7% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4% to 11% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Suriname
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Suriname
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Suriname is approximatly 10 SRD with meal cost ranging from 5.2 SRD to 17 SRD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 17 SRD and 52 SRD with 26 SRD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Suriname.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 34 SRD to 210 SRD with the average cost being 52 SRD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Suriname.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Suriname is around 6.9 SRD. Price ranges between 4.3 SRD and 10 SRD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Suriname is 4.1 SRD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 5.2 SRD and the minimum being 3.4 SRD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 3.4 SRD on average with 2.6 SRD and 5.2 SRD being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Suriname is between 5.9 SRD and 11 SRD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 7.6 SRD.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 10 SRD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Suriname costs around 3.8 SRD on average with prices rangeing between 2.8 SRD and 5.4 SRD depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 1 SRD to 2.6 SRD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 2.4 SRD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Suriname is around 28%. This means that students spend 28% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 20% to 34% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 81 SRD to 3,600 SRD with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
