Moving to Mali from Gambia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Gambia to Mali — from daily expenses to quality of life.

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

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Gambia to Mali, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,451 ↑ 17% vs 2015

people born in Gambia live in Mali · UN DESA

Who's moving to Mali?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Gambia and Mali 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

GM
22.0
ML
20.2

Mali performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GM
$94
ML
$104
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
ML
1.9

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gambia 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

GM
90.0
ML
65.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
ML
0.3t

Gambia generally does better on environment, though Mali 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
ML
0.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
ML
8.0%

Mali generally does better on infrastructure, though Gambia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GM
6.5%
ML
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
ML
$2,500

Mali 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
ML
62.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
ML
60.6

Gambia generally does better on family life, though Mali 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

Bamako Rain: 39.0 in/yr (991 mm)
95° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Bamako
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 97°/68°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 100°/76°F (38°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 94°/66°F (34°/19°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Bamako
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 92°/63°F (33.4°/17.0°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 98°/68°F (36.4°/19.9°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 101°/73°F (38.5°/22.9°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/25.2°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 101°/78°F (38.5°/25.4°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 96°/74°F (35.3°/23.6°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.2°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 88°/71°F (31.1°/21.8°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 90°/71°F (32.2°/21.6°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 94°/70°F (34.6°/21.3°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 96°/65°F (35.3°/18.4°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.8°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO) Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Mali

Visa Free
Gambia passport holders can enter Mali without a visa.
Mali passport

Mali passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Mali 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 Mali?

With 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Mali can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Gambia and Mali.

Is Mali safe for expats?

Mali performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Mali compared to Gambia?

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mali, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Mali scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

What's the weather like in Mali compared to Gambia?

The average high temperature in Bamako is 95°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Bamako receives around 39.0 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Mali?

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

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At a Glance

GM ML
Population 2,413,403 20,741,769
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +223
Time zones 1 1