Moving to Suriname from Senegal

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Senegal 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 82°F in Dakar, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SN
20.8
SR
16.2

Suriname performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SN
$206
SR
$1,143
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SN
1.3
SR
14.8

Senegal 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

SN
65.0
SR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SN
0.8t
SR
4.1t

Senegal 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

SN
1.4
SR
20.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SN
16.3%
SR
4.0%

Suriname performs significantly better than Senegal across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SN
2.9%
SR
7.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SN
$4,400
SR
$19,000

Senegal 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

SN
70.0 yrs
SR
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SN
32.4
SR
30.2

Suriname generally does better on family life, though Senegal leads in education spending.

Data: Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dakar Rain: 14.9 in/yr (379 mm)
82° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dakar Paramaribo
Jan–Mar 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) 94°/73°F (34°/23°C)
View all months
Month Dakar Paramaribo
Jan 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C)
Feb 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C)
Mar 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C)
Apr 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C)
May 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C)
Jun 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C)
Sep 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C)
Oct 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C)
Nov 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C)
Dec 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C)

Data: Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM), Meteorological Service Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Senegal 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.

Senegal passport

Senegal passport holder visiting Suriname

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

Suriname passport holder visiting Senegal

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

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 Senegal and Suriname.

Is Suriname safe for expats?

Suriname performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Suriname compared to Senegal?

Senegal 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 1.3 in Senegal. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Senegal: 50).

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

The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 82°F in Dakar. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dakar gets 14.9 in.

What language do they speak in Suriname?

The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In Senegal, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

SN SR
Population 17,923,036 632,638
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Languages French Dutch
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +221 +597
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 17