Moving to Suriname from Norway

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Norway 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 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Norway 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

NO
0.6
SR
7.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NO
1.5
SR
16.2

Norway performs better than Suriname across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NO
$9,523
SR
$1,143
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
SR
14.8

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Suriname leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NO
8.0
SR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
SR
4.1t

Norway generally does better on environment, though Suriname leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NO
45.9
SR
20.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
SR
4.0%

Norway performs better than Suriname across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
SR
7.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
SR
$19,000

Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Suriname leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NO
82.5 yrs
SR
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
SR
30.2

Norway performs better than Suriname across all family life metrics.

Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo Paramaribo
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 94°/73°F (34°/23°C)
View all months
Month Oslo Paramaribo
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Meteorological Service Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Suriname

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

Suriname passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Required
Suriname passport holders need a visa to enter Norway.

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 Norway and Suriname.

Is Suriname safe for expats?

Norway performs better than Suriname across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Suriname is 7.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.

How is healthcare in Suriname compared to Norway?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Suriname leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 14.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Suriname, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in Suriname?

The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO SR
Population 5,553,840 632,638
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami Dutch
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +47 +597
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112