Moving to Burkina Faso from Portugal

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Portugal to Burkina Faso — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Portugal to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ouagadougou averages 95°F vs 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Portugal and Burkina Faso 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

PT
7.2
BF
27.8

Portugal performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PT
$4,928
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PT
57.7
BF
1.5

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PT
10.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PT
3.3t
BF
0.3t

Portugal generally does better on environment, though Burkina Faso 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

PT
43.5
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PT
12.3%
BF
7.8%

Portugal 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

PT
6.5%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PT
$41,700
BF
$2,500

Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Burkina Faso leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PT
81.5 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PT
2.5
BF
49.4

Portugal 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.

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lisbon Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Lisbon Ouagadougou
Jan 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, 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 Portugal 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.

Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Portugal passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Required
Burkina Faso passport holders need a visa to enter Portugal.

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?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Burkina Faso can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Portugal and Burkina Faso.

Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?

Portugal performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Portugal?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

PT BF
Population 10,242,081 21,935,389
Currency Euro (€) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Portuguese French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +351 +226
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112