Suriname: cost of living

How fast is the cost of living rising in Suriname?

Consumer prices in Suriname rose 8.0% in the year to August 2026, according to the General Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The index for food and non-alcoholic drinks, which carries the largest weight (313 per 1,000), stood at 1,080.7 in August 2026 against 997.8 a year earlier, a rise of about 8.3%.

The consumer price index measures price changes for a fixed basket and the ABS notes that it is not a full cost-of-living index, because it does not account for people switching between products. The index base is April to June 2016 = 100.

Official sources: ABS: consumer price index, August 2026 (PDF)

What is the poverty line in Suriname?

The average poverty line in Suriname was SRD 7,810 for a single adult in December 2025, according to the General Bureau of Statistics Basic Indicators. For two adults with two children it was SRD 17,464. In July 2019 the same lines were SRD 1,216 and SRD 2,719.

The bureau calculates the cost of a basic food basket and sets the total poverty line at 100/60 of it (an Engel coefficient of 60). The share of people below the national poverty line was 17.6% in 2022, according to World Bank data.

Official sources: ABS: Suriname Basic Indicators 2026-I (PDF) · World Bank: poverty at national lines, Suriname

What is the inflation rate in Suriname?

The latest figure from the IMF, for 2025, is 9.2%. The peak was 59.1% in 2021 and the low -0.1% in 2009. It is 3rd highest of 29 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 2.1%. World rank, highest first: 17th of 165.

What share of people in Suriname live in extreme poverty?

In 2022, the share of people living on less than $3.00 a day in Suriname was 2.2%, according to the World Bank. It is 9th highest of 14 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 2.8%. Of 72 countries with 2022 data, 27th highest.

What share of Suriname lives below the poverty line?

In 2022, the share of people below the national poverty line in Suriname was 17.6%, according to the World Bank. Latin America & Caribbean median: 26.1%; Suriname is 12th highest of 14. World rank, highest first: 34th of 52.

What is income inequality in Suriname?

In 2022, the Gini index in Suriname was 39.2, according to the World Bank. It is 12th highest of 14 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 42.2. Worldwide: 18th of 72.

How many people in Suriname go hungry?

According to the FAO, moderate or severe food insecurity in Suriname was 35.9% in 2022. Latin America & Caribbean median: 29.1%; Suriname is 10th highest of 26. Of 147 countries with 2022 data, 53rd highest.