Moving to Suriname from Spain

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain 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 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Spain 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

ES
0.7
SR
7.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
SR
16.2

Spain 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

ES
$4,935
SR
$1,143
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
SR
14.8

Spain 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

ES
10.0
SR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
SR
4.1t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
SR
20.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
SR
4.0%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Suriname leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ES
12.1%
SR
7.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
SR
$19,000

Spain generally does better on employment & economy, though Suriname leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
SR
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
SR
30.2

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

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Paramaribo
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 94°/73°F (34°/23°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Paramaribo
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Meteorological Service Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Suriname

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

Suriname passport holder visiting Spain

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

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 Spain and Suriname.

Is Suriname safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Suriname across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Suriname is 7.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

How is healthcare in Suriname compared to Spain?

Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Suriname?

The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES SR
Population 47,163,418 632,638
Currency Euro (€) Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Dutch
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +34 +597
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112