Moving to Burkina Faso from Mali

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Mali to Burkina Faso? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Mali to Burkina Faso.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Mali to Burkina Faso.

Living there in 2020
37,052 ↓ 15% vs 2015

people born in Mali live in Burkina Faso · UN DESA

Who's moving to Burkina Faso?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Burkina Faso compared to Mali.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ML
20.2
BF
27.8

Mali 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

ML
$104
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ML
1.9
BF
1.5

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ML
65.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ML
0.3t
BF
0.3t

Mali performs better than Burkina Faso 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

ML
0.8
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ML
8.0%
BF
7.8%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ML
3.0%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ML
$2,500
BF
$2,500

Mali generally does better on employment & economy, though Burkina Faso leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ML
62.4 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ML
60.6
BF
49.4

Burkina Faso performs significantly better than Mali 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bamako Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 97°/68°F (36°/20°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 100°/76°F (38°/25°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/71°F (32°/22°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 94°/66°F (34°/19°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Bamako Ouagadougou
Jan 92°/63°F (33.4°/17.0°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 98°/68°F (36.4°/19.9°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 101°/73°F (38.5°/22.9°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 103°/77°F (39.6°/25.2°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 101°/78°F (38.5°/25.4°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 96°/74°F (35.3°/23.6°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.2°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 88°/71°F (31.1°/21.8°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 90°/71°F (32.2°/21.6°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 94°/70°F (34.6°/21.3°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 96°/65°F (35.3°/18.4°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.8°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO) Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO), 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 Mali 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.

Mali passport

Mali passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

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

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Mali

Visa Free
Burkina Faso passport holders can enter Mali 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?

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?

Mali performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Mali?

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in adult obesity rate. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 1.9 in Mali. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mali: 41).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 95°F in Bamako. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Bamako gets 39.0 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

Both Mali and Burkina Faso share the same official language: French.

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At a Glance

ML BF
Population 20,741,769 21,935,389
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages French French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +223 +226
Time zones 1 1