Moving to Burkina Faso from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Burkina Faso — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ouagadougou averages 95°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Burkina Faso.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Burkina Faso leads in homicide rate.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica generally does better on environment, though Burkina Faso leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Costa Rica performs 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
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Burkina Faso leads in unemployment rate.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Burkina Faso leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Burkina Faso. To live, work, or study long-term in Burkina Faso, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Burkina Faso's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Burkina Faso
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Burkina Faso?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Burkina Faso has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Burkina Faso leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Burkina Faso is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.8 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 26.9 in Costa Rica. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Burkina Faso compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?
The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
