Moving to Switzerland from Burkina Faso
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Burkina Faso to Switzerland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Burkina Faso to Switzerland. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°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 Switzerland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Burkina Faso to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Burkina Faso and Switzerland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Switzerland performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Switzerland performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Switzerland 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ouagadougou | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ouagadougou | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burkina Faso and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.
Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Required
Switzerland passport holder visiting Burkina Faso
Visa Online (e-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 Switzerland?
With 47.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Switzerland 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 Switzerland.
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Burkina Faso?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Burkina Faso, the official language is French.
