Moving to Burkina Faso from Spain

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Burkina Faso, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ouagadougou averages 95°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Spain 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

ES
3.5
BF
27.8

Spain 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

ES
$4,935
BF
$224
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
BF
1.5

Burkina Faso 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
BF
0.3t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
BF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
BF
7.8%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
BF
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
BF
$2,500

Spain 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

ES
82.5 yrs
BF
63.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
BF
49.4

Spain 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Ouagadougou
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 96°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 99°/78°F (37°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 89°/72°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 95°/67°F (35°/20°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Ouagadougou
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, 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 Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

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

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Spain

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

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 Spain and Burkina Faso.

Is Burkina Faso safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Burkina Faso compared to Spain?

Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Burkina Faso, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Burkina Faso scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Ouagadougou is 95°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Ouagadougou receives around 29.3 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Burkina Faso?

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

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At a Glance

ES BF
Population 47,163,418 21,935,389
Currency Euro (€) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +226
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112