Moving to Burkina Faso from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Burkina Faso — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ouagadougou averages 95°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Burkina Faso stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Burkina Faso performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa 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
Iowa performs better than Burkina Faso across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs better than Burkina Faso across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Burkina Faso
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Burkina Faso passport holder visiting United States
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?
Working remotely from Burkina Faso's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Burkina Faso.
How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Iowa?
Burkina Faso performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Burkina Faso compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?
The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Iowa, the official language is English.
