Moving to Suriname from Ethiopia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ethiopia to Suriname — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ethiopia to Suriname, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Paramaribo averages 92°F vs 74°F in Addis Ababa, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Ethiopia and Suriname stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ET
8.6
SR
7.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
SR
16.2

Suriname performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ET
$86
SR
$1,143
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
SR
14.8

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Suriname leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ET
46.0
SR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
SR
4.1t

Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Suriname leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ET
0.5
SR
20.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
SR
4.0%

Suriname performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ET
3.5%
SR
7.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
SR
$19,000

Ethiopia generally does better on employment & economy, though Suriname leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ET
68.2 yrs
SR
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
SR
30.2

Suriname performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all family life metrics.

Data: Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Addis Ababa Rain: 45.9 in/yr (1165 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Paramaribo Rain: 84.6 in/yr (2148 mm)
92° / 72°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Paramaribo
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 94°/73°F (34°/23°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Paramaribo
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Meteorological Service Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ethiopia and Suriname. To live, work, or study long-term in Suriname, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Suriname's immigration authority.

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Suriname

Visa Free
Ethiopia passport holders can enter Suriname without a visa.
Suriname passport

Suriname passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Suriname passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Ethiopia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Suriname?

With 20.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Suriname can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ethiopia and Suriname.

Is Suriname safe for expats?

Suriname performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Suriname is 7.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in Suriname compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Suriname leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 14.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Suriname, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

What's the weather like in Suriname compared to Ethiopia?

The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in Suriname?

The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET SR
Population 113,656,596 632,638
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Languages Amharic Dutch
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +251 +597
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911