Moving to Jamaica from Burkina Faso

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Burkina Faso to Jamaica — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Burkina Faso to Jamaica, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Jamaican Patois. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Burkina Faso and Jamaica stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BF
27.8
JM
17.8

Jamaica 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
JM
$869
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BF
1.5
JM
5.5

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

BF
84.0
JM
22.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BF
0.3t
JM
2.8t

Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Jamaica leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BF
0.1
JM
15.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BF
7.8%
JM
12.4%

Jamaica generally does better on infrastructure, though Burkina Faso leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BF
5.3%
JM
4.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BF
$2,500
JM
$10,300

Jamaica performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BF
63.4 yrs
JM
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BF
49.4
JM
11.2

Jamaica performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all family life metrics.

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

Kingston Rain: 32.0 in/yr (813 mm)
89° / 73°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ouagadougou Kingston
Jan–Mar 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) 87°/70°F (30°/21°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) 88°/73°F (31°/23°C)
View all months
Month Ouagadougou Kingston
Jan 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C)
Feb 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C)
Mar 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C)
Apr 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C)
May 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C)
Jun 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C)
Aug 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C)
Sep 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C)
Oct 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C)
Nov 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C)
Dec 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso, Meteorological Service, Jamaica Meteorological Service, Jamaica

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Jamaica

Visa Required
Burkina Faso passport holders need a visa to enter Jamaica.
Jamaica passport

Jamaica passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Jamaica passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Burkina Faso.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Jamaica?

With 15.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Jamaica can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Burkina Faso and Jamaica.

Is Jamaica safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Jamaica compared to Burkina Faso?

Jamaica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Jamaica, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Jamaica scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).

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

The average high temperature in Kingston is 89°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Kingston receives around 32.0 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 in.

What language do they speak in Jamaica?

The official languages in Jamaica are English and Jamaican Patois. In Burkina Faso, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BF JM
Population 21,935,389 2,818,596
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Jamaican Dollar (JMD)
Languages French English, Jamaican Patois
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +226 +1
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119