Moving to Burkina Faso from Samoa

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
BF
27.8

Samoa 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

WS
$474
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
BF
1.5

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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

WS
34.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
BF
0.3t

Samoa 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

WS
0.8
BF
0.1
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
BF
22.0%

Samoa performs better than Burkina Faso across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

WS
9.8%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
BF
$2,500

Samoa 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

WS
75.2 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
BF
49.4

Samoa 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.

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Apia Ouagadougou
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: 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 Samoa 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.

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

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

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Burkina Faso passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.

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?

Samoa performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Samoa?

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

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At a Glance

WS BF
Population 206,179 21,935,389
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English, Samoan French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +685 +226
Time zones 1 1