Moving to Suriname from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Sri Lanka to Suriname, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Sri Lanka 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

LK
3.4
SR
7.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
SR
16.2

Sri Lanka 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

LK
$507
SR
$1,143
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
SR
14.8

Sri Lanka 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

LK
37.0
SR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
SR
4.1t

Sri Lanka performs better than Suriname across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LK
10.1
SR
20.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
SR
4.0%

Suriname performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
SR
7.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
SR
$19,000

Sri Lanka 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

LK
77.5 yrs
SR
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
SR
30.2

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

Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Paramaribo
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 94°/73°F (34°/23°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Paramaribo
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 89°/71°F (31.8°/21.6°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 88°/71°F (31.3°/21.6°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 90°/71°F (32.1°/21.8°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.6°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.7°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 92°/72°F (33.2°/22.5°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 92°/72°F (33.5°/22.5°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 93°/73°F (34.1°/22.7°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 94°/73°F (34.7°/22.9°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.9°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 94°/73°F (34.3°/22.6°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.5°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, Meteorological Service Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Suriname

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sri Lanka passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Suriname.
Suriname passport

Suriname passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Suriname passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

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 Sri Lanka and Suriname.

Is Suriname safe for expats?

Sri Lanka performs better than Suriname across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Suriname is 7.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Suriname compared to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka 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 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Suriname scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Suriname compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Paramaribo is 92°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Paramaribo receives around 84.6 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Suriname?

The official language in Suriname is Dutch. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK SR
Population 23,187,516 632,638
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Surinamese Dollar (SRD)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Dutch
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +94 +597
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119