Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Burundi instead of Burkina Faso, you would:
Health
live 2.5 years longer
In Burkina Faso, the average life expectancy is 61 years (59 years for men, 63 years for women) as of 2024. In Burundi, that number is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024.
be 32.6% less likely to be obese
In Burkina Faso, 7.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burundi, that number is 5.2% of people as of 2024.
see 55.3% less spent on your healthcare
Burkina Faso spends $224 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burundi spends $100 as of 2023.
have 47.3% fewer doctors per person
Burkina Faso has 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Burundi has 0.8 as of 2022.
Economy
be 73.6% less likely to be unemployed
In Burkina Faso, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burundi, that number is 0.9% as of 2025.
be 18.1% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Burkina Faso, 43.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Burundi, however, that number is 51.0% as of 2020.
make 79.6% less money
Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of $1,148 as of 2025, while in Burundi, the GDP per capita is $234 as of 2025.
Life
be 79.7% more likely to be literate
In Burkina Faso, the literacy rate is 41.6% as of 2023. In Burundi, it is 74.7% as of 2021.
be 30.0% less likely to die during infancy
In Burkina Faso, approximately 43.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Burundi, on the other hand, 30.5 children do as of 2024.
be 62.0% more likely to die during childbirth
In Burkina Faso, approximately 242.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Burundi, 392.0 women do as of 2023.
Basic Needs
be 31.8% more likely to have access to drinking water
In Burkina Faso, approximately 50% of people have access to drinking water (81% in urban areas, and 34% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Burundi, that number is 66% of people on average (91% in urban areas, and 61% in rural areas) as of 2024.
be 46.5% less likely to have access to electricity
In Burkina Faso, approximately 22% of people have electricity access (63% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Burundi, that number is 12% of people on average (65% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.
be 69.6% less likely to have internet access
In Burkina Faso, approximately 28.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burundi, about 8.6% do as of 2024.
Expenditures
spend 15.6% less on education
Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Burundi spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2025.
spend 16.5% more on healthcare
Burkina Faso spends 7.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Burundi, that number is 9.1% of GDP as of 2023.
Safety
be 55.8% less likely to die in a road accident
In Burkina Faso, road accidents kill 27.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Burundi, they kill 12.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.
be 4.5 times more likely to be murdered
Burkina Faso has a homicide rate of 1.2 per 100,000 people as of 2017. In Burundi, that number is 5.7 per 100,000 as of 2016.
Infrastructure
find 97.6% less home broadband
Burkina Faso has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burundi has 0.0 as of 2023.
live with 30.3% more strain on fresh water
Burkina Faso withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burundi withdraws 10% as of 2022.
Environment
be 15.5% less likely to die from air pollution
In Burkina Faso, air pollution causes 84.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Burundi, it causes 71.0 as of 2019.
emit 74.1% less CO2
Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burundi emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Compare further: Burkina Faso vs. Burundi
Burundi: At a glance
How big is Burundi compared to Burkina Faso? See an in-depth size comparison.