Moving to Burkina Faso from Gambia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Gambia to Burkina Faso — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

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

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Gambia to Burkina Faso.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GM
22.0
BF
27.8

Gambia 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

GM
$94
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
BF
1.5

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

GM
90.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
BF
0.3t

Gambia generally does better on environment, though Burkina Faso 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

GM
0.2
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
BF
7.8%

Gambia performs 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

GM
6.5%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
BF
$2,500

Burkina Faso generally does better on employment & economy, though Gambia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GM
67.6 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
BF
49.4

Gambia 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.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Ouagadougou
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, 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 Gambia 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.

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Free
Gambia passport holders can enter Burkina Faso without a visa.
Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Burkina Faso passport holders can enter Gambia without a 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 Burkina Faso?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Burkina Faso has 0.1 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?

Gambia performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Gambia?

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Gambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GM BF
Population 2,413,403 21,935,389
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +226
Time zones 1 1