Moving to Burkina Faso from Somalia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Somalia to Burkina Faso — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Somalia to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Somalia to Burkina Faso.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SO
20.2
BF
27.8

Somalia 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

SO
$52
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SO
0.2
BF
1.5

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

SO
64.0
BF
84.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SO
0.0t
BF
0.3t

Somalia performs better than Burkina Faso across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SO
0.7
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SO
24.5%
BF
7.8%

Burkina Faso generally does better on infrastructure, though Somalia leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SO
19.0%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SO
$1,500
BF
$2,500

Burkina Faso performs significantly better than Somalia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SO
55.7 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SO
86.5
BF
49.4

Burkina Faso performs significantly better than Somalia 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.

Mogadishu Rain: 18.7 in/yr (474 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Mogadishu Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 86°/74°F (30°/24°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/73°F (29°/23°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Mogadishu Ouagadougou
Jan 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°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 Somalia 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.

Somalia passport

Somalia passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

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

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Somalia

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

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Burkina Faso has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?

Somalia performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Somalia?

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 0.2 in Somalia. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Somalia: 27).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 86°F in Mogadishu. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Mogadishu gets 18.7 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

The official language in Burkina Faso is French. In Somalia, the official languages are Arabic and Somali.

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At a Glance

SO BF
Population 12,386,248 21,935,389
Currency Somali Shilling (SOS) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Arabic, Somali French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +252 +226
Time zones 1 1