Moving to Sweden from Burkina Faso

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Burkina Faso to Sweden, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 95°F in Ouagadougou, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Burkina Faso to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
4 ↓ 43% vs 2022

people moved from Burkina Faso to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Sweden?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Burkina Faso and Sweden 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
SE
2.1

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BF
$224
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BF
1.5
SE
71.5

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden 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
SE
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BF
0.3t
SE
3.6t

Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Sweden 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
SE
40.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BF
7.8%
SE
3.6%

Sweden 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%
SE
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BF
$2,500
SE
$64,200

Burkina Faso generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden 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
SE
82.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BF
49.4
SE
2.3

Sweden 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

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ouagadougou Stockholm
Jan–Mar 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Ouagadougou Stockholm
Jan 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Sweden

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

Sweden passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sweden 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 Sweden?

With 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sweden 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 Sweden.

Is Sweden safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).

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

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Burkina Faso, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BF SE
Population 21,935,389 10,483,647
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages French Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +226 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112