Moving to Suriname from Guinea-Bissau

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Guinea-Bissau to Suriname, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
1.1
SR
7.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GW
30.5
SR
16.2

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on safety, though Suriname leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GW
$247
SR
$1,143
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GW
2.1
SR
14.8

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
89.0
SR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GW
0.2t
SR
4.1t

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
0.2
SR
20.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GW
1.5%
SR
4.0%

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on infrastructure, though Suriname leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GW
3.2%
SR
7.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GW
$2,400
SR
$19,000

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
63.7 yrs
SR
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GW
49.0
SR
30.2

Suriname performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bissau Paramaribo
Jan–Mar 92°/67°F (33°/20°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/66°F (33°/19°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/68°F (30°/20°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) 94°/73°F (34°/23°C)
View all months
Month Bissau Paramaribo
Jan 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C) 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C)
Feb 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C) 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C)
Mar 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C) 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C)
Apr 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C) 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C)
May 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C)
Jun 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C) 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C)
Jul 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C) 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C) 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C)
Sep 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C) 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C)
Oct 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C)
Nov 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C) 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C)
Dec 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau, Meteorological Service Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guinea-Bissau 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.

Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Suriname

Visa Free
Guinea-Bissau passport holders can enter Suriname without a visa.
Suriname passport

Suriname passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa on Arrival
Suriname passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau.

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 Guinea-Bissau and Suriname.

Is Suriname safe for expats?

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on safety, though Suriname leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Suriname is 7.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Guinea-Bissau.

How is healthcare in Suriname compared to Guinea-Bissau?

Guinea-Bissau 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 2.1 in Guinea-Bissau. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guinea-Bissau: 37).

What's the weather like in Suriname compared to Guinea-Bissau?

The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 90°F in Bissau. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Bissau gets 69.1 in.

What language do they speak in Suriname?

The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In Guinea-Bissau, the official languages are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole.

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At a Glance

GW SR
Population 2,026,778 632,638
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Languages Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole Dutch
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +245 +597
Time zones 1 1