Moving to Burkina Faso from Malawi
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malawi to Burkina Faso? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malawi to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ouagadougou averages 95°F vs 75°F in Lilongwe, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Burkina Faso compared to Malawi.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Malawi performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malawi performs better than Burkina Faso across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Malawi generally does better on infrastructure, though Burkina Faso leads in water stress level.
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
Burkina Faso generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malawi 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lilongwe | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) | 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) | 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) | 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lilongwe | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) | 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) |
| Feb | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) | 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) | 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) |
| Apr | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) | 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) | 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) | 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) |
| Jul | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) |
| Aug | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) |
| Sep | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) | 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) |
| Oct | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) | 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) | 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) |
| Dec | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services,
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.
Malawi passport holder visiting Burkina Faso
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-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?
Connectivity is usually fine (Burkina Faso: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Burkina Faso offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?
Malawi performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Malawi?
Malawi 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 0.5 in Malawi. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).
What's the weather like in Burkina Faso compared to Malawi?
The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.
What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?
The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.
