Moving to Gambia from Burkina Faso

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Burkina Faso to Gambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Burkina Faso to Gambia, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Gambia compared to Burkina Faso.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BF
27.8
GM
22.0

Gambia performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BF
$224
GM
$94
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BF
1.5
GM
1.0

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso 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

BF
84.0
GM
90.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BF
0.3t
GM
0.2t

Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Gambia 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

BF
0.1
GM
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BF
7.8%
GM
2.2%

Gambia performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BF
5.3%
GM
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BF
$2,500
GM
$2,900

Burkina Faso generally does better on employment & economy, though Gambia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BF
63.4 yrs
GM
67.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BF
49.4
GM
37.2

Gambia generally does better on family life, though Burkina Faso leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ouagadougou Rain: 29.3 in/yr (744 mm)
95° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ouagadougou Banjul
Jan–Mar 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) 91°/65°F (33°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) 92°/71°F (33°/22°C)
View all months
Month Ouagadougou Banjul
Jan 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C)
Feb 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C)
Mar 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C)
Apr 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C)
May 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C)
Jun 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C)
Aug 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C)
Sep 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C)
Nov 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C)
Dec 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso, Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Burkina Faso passport holders can enter Gambia without a visa.
Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Free
Gambia passport holders can enter Burkina Faso 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 Gambia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Gambia: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Gambia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Gambia safe for expats?

Gambia performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Gambia compared to Burkina Faso?

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Gambia, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Gambia scores 46 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).

What's the weather like in Gambia compared to Burkina Faso?

The average high temperature in Banjul is 90°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Banjul receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 in.

What language do they speak in Gambia?

The official language in Gambia is English. In Burkina Faso, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BF GM
Population 21,935,389 2,413,403
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Gambian Dalasi (GMD)
Languages French English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +226 +220
Time zones 1 1