Moving to Suriname from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Suriname — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Suriname, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Paramaribo averages 92°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Suriname.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Suriname performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Suriname generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Suriname performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Suriname leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Suriname generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Suriname leads in life expectancy.
Data: South African Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Paramaribo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 89°/71°F (32°/22°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 93°/73°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 94°/73°F (34°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Paramaribo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C) |
South African Weather Service
Meteorological ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Suriname
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Suriname passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Suriname?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Suriname has 20.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Suriname safe for expats?
Suriname performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Suriname is 7.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Suriname compared to South Africa?
Suriname generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 14.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Suriname, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Suriname compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Suriname?
The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Suriname
At a Glance
ZA
|
SR
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 632,638 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Surinamese Dollar (SRD) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Dutch |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +597 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |