Moving to Benin from Ghana

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Ghana to Benin — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Ghana to Benin, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Ghana to Benin, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
16,226 ↑ 8% vs 2015

people born in Ghana live in Benin · UN DESA

Who's moving to Benin?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ghana to Benin.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GH
25.9
BJ
24.8

Benin performs significantly better than Ghana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GH
$234
BJ
$138
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GH
1.4
BJ
2.0

Benin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GH
89.0
BJ
77.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GH
0.7t
BJ
0.5t

Benin performs significantly better than Ghana across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GH
0.6
BJ
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GH
6.3%
BJ
1.0%

Ghana generally does better on infrastructure, though Benin leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GH
3.1%
BJ
1.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GH
$6,700
BJ
$3,800

Ghana generally does better on employment & economy, though Benin leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GH
69.4 yrs
BJ
62.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GH
32.6
BJ
55.8

Ghana performs better than Benin across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Accra Rain: 29.2 in/yr (741 mm)
88° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Porto-novo Rain: 47.0 in/yr (1194 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Accra Porto-novo
Jan–Mar 91°/76°F (33°/25°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/75°F (32°/24°C)
View all months
Month Accra Porto-novo
Jan 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C)
Feb 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C)
Mar 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C)
Apr 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C)
Oct 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)
Nov 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C)
Dec 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C)

Data: Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Meteorological Agency, Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ghana passport

Ghana passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Free
Ghana passport holders can enter Benin without a visa.
Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting Ghana

Visa Free
Benin passport holders can enter Ghana 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 Benin?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Benin has 0.2 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 Benin safe for expats?

Benin performs significantly better than Ghana across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Benin compared to Ghana?

Benin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in health coverage index. There are 2.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Benin, compared to 1.4 in Ghana. Benin scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ghana: 48).

What's the weather like in Benin compared to Ghana?

The average high temperature in Porto-novo is None°F, compared to 88°F in Accra. Porto-novo receives around 47.0 in of rainfall per year, while Accra gets 29.2 in.

What language do they speak in Benin?

The official language in Benin is French. In Ghana, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GH BJ
Population 33,107,275 13,754,688
Currency Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +233 +229
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112