Moving to Mali from Norway

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Norway to Mali, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bamako averages 95°F vs 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Norway 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

NO
1.5
ML
20.2

Norway performs better than Mali across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NO
$9,523
ML
$104
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
ML
1.9

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NO
8.0
ML
65.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
ML
0.3t

Norway generally does better on environment, though Mali leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NO
45.9
ML
0.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
ML
8.0%

Norway performs better than Mali across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
ML
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
ML
$2,500

Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Mali leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NO
82.5 yrs
ML
62.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
ML
60.6

Norway performs 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.

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo Bamako
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 97°/68°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 100°/76°F (38°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 94°/66°F (34°/19°C)
View all months
Month Oslo Bamako
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 92°/63°F (33.4°/17.0°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 98°/68°F (36.4°/19.9°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 101°/73°F (38.5°/22.9°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/25.2°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 101°/78°F (38.5°/25.4°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 96°/74°F (35.3°/23.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.2°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 88°/71°F (31.1°/21.8°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 90°/71°F (32.2°/21.6°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 94°/70°F (34.6°/21.3°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 96°/65°F (35.3°/18.4°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.8°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, 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 Norway 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.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Mali

Visa Required
Norway passport holders need a visa to enter Mali.
Mali passport

Mali passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Required
Mali passport holders need a visa to enter Norway.

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 Norway and Mali.

Is Mali safe for expats?

Norway performs better than Mali across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Mali compared to Norway?

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mali, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Mali scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Bamako is 95°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Bamako receives around 39.0 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in Mali?

The official language in Mali is French. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO ML
Population 5,553,840 20,741,769
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +47 +223
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112