Moving to Spain from Senegal

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Senegal to Spain, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°F vs 82°F in Dakar, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Senegal to Spain, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
11,239 ↓ 2% vs 2022

people moved from Senegal to Spain · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Spain?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Senegal and Spain 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

SN
20.8
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SN
$206
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SN
1.3
ES
44.8

Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain 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

SN
65.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SN
0.8t
ES
4.5t

Senegal generally does better on environment, though Spain leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SN
1.4
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SN
16.3%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Senegal leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SN
2.9%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SN
$4,400
ES
$46,400

Senegal generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SN
70.0 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SN
32.4
ES
2.5

Spain generally does better on family life, though Senegal leads in education spending.

Data: Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dakar Rain: 14.9 in/yr (379 mm)
82° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dakar Madrid
Jan–Mar 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Dakar Madrid
Jan 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM), Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Senegal and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.

Senegal passport

Senegal passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Required
Senegal passport holders need a visa to enter Spain.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Senegal

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Senegal 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 Spain?

With 36.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Senegal and Spain.

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Senegal?

Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 1.3 in Senegal. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Senegal: 50).

What's the weather like in Spain compared to Senegal?

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 82°F in Dakar. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dakar gets 14.9 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Senegal, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

SN ES
Population 17,923,036 47,163,418
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Euro (€)
Languages French Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +221 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 17 112