Moving to Senegal from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Senegal? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Senegal, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dakar averages 82°F vs 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Senegal compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs better than Senegal 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Senegal leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal generally does better on environment, though Senegal leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Portugal performs better than Senegal across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Senegal generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal leads in gdp per capita.
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
Portugal generally does better on family life, though Senegal leads in education spending.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Dakar |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Dakar |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal and Senegal. To live, work, or study long-term in Senegal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Senegal's immigration authority.
Portugal passport holder visiting Senegal
Visa Free
Senegal passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Senegal?
Connectivity is usually fine (Senegal: 1.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Senegal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Senegal safe for expats?
Portugal performs better than Senegal across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Senegal compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Senegal leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Senegal, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. Senegal scores 50 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Senegal compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Dakar is 82°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Dakar receives around 14.9 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Senegal?
The official language in Senegal is French. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
