Moving to Sierra Leone from Benin

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Benin to Sierra Leone — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Benin to Sierra Leone, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Benin to Sierra Leone, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
101 ↑ 55% vs 2015

people born in Benin live in Sierra Leone · UN DESA

Who's moving to Sierra Leone?

Top countries of origin for Sierra Leone's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Benin and Sierra Leone stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

BJ
1.1
SL
2.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BJ
24.8
SL
13.8

Benin generally does better on safety, though Sierra Leone leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BJ
$138
SL
$159
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BJ
2.2
SL
1.3

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin 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

BJ
77.0
SL
97.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BJ
0.5t
SL
0.2t

Benin generally does better on environment, though Sierra Leone leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BJ
0.3
SL
0.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BJ
1.0%
SL
0.5%

Benin generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BJ
1.6%
SL
3.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BJ
$1,658
SL
$846

Benin performs better than Sierra Leone across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BJ
61.0 yrs
SL
62.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BJ
45.2
SL
54.6

Benin generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in life expectancy.

Weather in Sierra Leone vs Benin

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Cotonou Rain: 51.3 in/yr (1303 mm)
94° / 83°F

Avg. annual high / low

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Cotonou Freetown
Jan–Mar 99°/85°F (37°/29°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/84°F (35°/29°C) 87°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/80°F (31°/26°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 97°/82°F (36°/28°C) 86°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Cotonou Freetown
Jan 96°/84°F (35.6°/28.7°C) 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C)
Feb 101°/85°F (38.6°/29.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C)
Mar 99°/85°F (37.0°/29.5°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Apr 100°/85°F (37.5°/29.6°C) 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C)
May 93°/84°F (34.0°/29.0°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Jun 92°/83°F (33.3°/28.5°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C)
Jul 88°/80°F (31.0°/26.4°C) 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C)
Aug 87°/80°F (30.4°/26.4°C) 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C)
Sep 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.5°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 102°/81°F (39.0°/27.2°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Nov 93°/83°F (33.9°/28.2°C) 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C)
Dec 95°/83°F (35.0°/28.4°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN), Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency

Can you move from Benin to Sierra Leone?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Benin and Sierra Leone. To live, work, or study long-term in Sierra Leone, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sierra Leone's immigration authority.

Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

Visa Free
Benin passport holders can enter Sierra Leone without a visa.
Sierra Leone passport

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Free
Sierra Leone passport holders can enter Benin without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sierra Leone?

With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sierra Leone can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Benin and Sierra Leone.

Is Sierra Leone safe for expats?

Benin generally does better on safety, though Sierra Leone leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Sierra Leone is 2.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Benin.

How is healthcare in Sierra Leone compared to Benin?

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Sierra Leone, compared to 2.2 in Benin. Sierra Leone scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Benin: 38).

What's the weather like in Sierra Leone compared to Benin?

The average high temperature in Freetown is 86°F, compared to 94°F in Cotonou. Freetown receives around 116.0 in of rainfall per year, while Cotonou gets 51.3 in.

What language do they speak in Sierra Leone?

The official language in Sierra Leone is English. In Benin, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BJ SL
Population 14,814,460 8,819,794
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL)
Languages French English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +229 +232
Time zones 1 1