Moving to Burkina Faso from El Salvador

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from El Salvador to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How El Salvador and Burkina Faso 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

SV
21.5
BF
27.8

El Salvador performs 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

SV
$1,176
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SV
15.5
BF
1.5

El Salvador 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

SV
31.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SV
1.5t
BF
0.3t

El Salvador generally does better on environment, though Burkina Faso 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

SV
10.6
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SV
13.2%
BF
7.8%

El Salvador 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

SV
2.8%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SV
$11,300
BF
$2,500

El Salvador performs 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

SV
75.4 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SV
12.1
BF
49.4

El Salvador 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.

San Salvador Rain: 70.0 in/yr (1777 mm)
87° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Salvador Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month San Salvador Ouagadougou
Jan 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between El Salvador 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.

El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

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

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

Data: 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?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Burkina Faso can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in El Salvador and Burkina Faso.

Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?

El Salvador performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to El Salvador?

El Salvador 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 15.5 in El Salvador. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In El Salvador, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

SV BF
Population 6,568,745 21,935,389
Currency Salvadoran Colón (SVC) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Spanish French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +503 +226
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911