Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Burkina Faso instead of California, you would:

Health

live 15.6 years less

In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Burkina Faso, that number is 63 years (62 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 97.0% less money

California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $2,500 as of 2023.

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be 3.7 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Burkina Faso, however, that number is 43.2% as of 2021.

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Basic Needs

be 76.2% less likely to have internet access

In California, approximately 92.6% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Burkina Faso, about 22.0% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), The World Factbook.

Compare further: California vs. Burkina Faso
Cost of Living Comparison · 6 categories - 2026 data
Burkina Faso is 42.5% cheaper than California
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Size Comparison · See true size
California is about 1.5 times bigger than Burkina Faso.
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Burkina Faso: At a glance

Burkina Faso is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 273,800 sq km. Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. There have been increasing protests over the belief that the president may try to run for a currently unconstitutional third term in the 2015 presidential elections. Burkina Faso's high population growth and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens.
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How big is Burkina Faso compared to California? See an in-depth size comparison.

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