Moving to Burundi from Swaziland

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Swaziland to Burundi, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Kirundi. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bujumbura averages 85°F vs 72°F in Lobamba, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Swaziland and Burundi stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SZ
12.7
BI
5.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SZ
24.7
BI
12.3

Burundi performs significantly better than Swaziland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SZ
$922
BI
$100
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SZ
15.9
BI
0.6

Burundi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Swaziland 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

SZ
66.0
BI
71.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SZ
0.9t
BI
0.1t

Swaziland generally does better on environment, though Burundi 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

SZ
2.3
BI
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SZ
77.6%
BI
10.2%

Swaziland generally does better on infrastructure, though Burundi leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SZ
37.6%
BI
0.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SZ
$10,600
BI
$900

Swaziland generally does better on employment & economy, though Burundi leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SZ
59.7 yrs
BI
67.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SZ
39.6
BI
37.8

Swaziland generally does better on family life, though Burundi leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lobamba Rain: 56.8 in/yr (1442 mm)
72° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bujumbura Rain: 30.9 in/yr (786 mm)
85° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lobamba Bujumbura
Jan–Mar 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 85°/67°F (29°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/46°F (21°/8°C) 86°/66°F (30°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/44°F (21°/7°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 85°/66°F (29°/19°C)
View all months
Month Lobamba Bujumbura
Jan 77°/59°F (24.9°/14.9°C) 84°/67°F (29.1°/19.2°C)
Feb 76°/58°F (24.5°/14.5°C) 85°/67°F (29.7°/19.3°C)
Mar 75°/56°F (24.1°/13.4°C) 85°/67°F (29.3°/19.3°C)
Apr 73°/52°F (22.6°/11.0°C) 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C)
May 71°/46°F (21.4°/7.9°C) 86°/66°F (29.9°/19.1°C)
Jun 67°/40°F (19.3°/4.7°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.6°C)
Jul 68°/40°F (19.8°/4.6°C) 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.2°C)
Aug 70°/44°F (21.3°/6.6°C) 86°/63°F (30.0°/17.4°C)
Sep 74°/49°F (23.2°/9.5°C) 88°/65°F (30.9°/18.6°C)
Oct 73°/52°F (22.8°/11.3°C) 86°/66°F (30.1°/19.1°C)
Nov 72°/55°F (22.5°/12.9°C) 84°/66°F (29.1°/19.1°C)
Dec 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) 84°/66°F (28.9°/19.1°C)

Data: Eswatini Meteorological Service Eswatini Meteorological Service, Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU) Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Swaziland passport

Swaziland passport holder visiting Burundi

Visa on Arrival
Swaziland passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Burundi.
Burundi passport

Burundi passport holder visiting Swaziland

Visa Required
Burundi passport holders need a visa to enter Swaziland.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Burundi?

With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Burundi can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Swaziland and Burundi.

Is Burundi safe for expats?

Burundi performs significantly better than Swaziland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Burundi is 5.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.7 in Swaziland.

How is healthcare in Burundi compared to Swaziland?

Burundi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Swaziland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Burundi, compared to 15.9 in Swaziland. Burundi scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Swaziland: 56).

What's the weather like in Burundi compared to Swaziland?

The average high temperature in Bujumbura is 85°F, compared to 72°F in Lobamba. Bujumbura receives around 30.9 in of rainfall per year, while Lobamba gets 56.8 in.

What language do they speak in Burundi?

The official languages in Burundi are French and Kirundi. In Swaziland, the official languages are English and Swazi.

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At a Glance

SZ BI
Population 1,121,761 12,696,478
Currency Swazi Lilangeni (SZL) Burundian Franc (BIF)
Languages English, Swazi French, Kirundi
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +268 +257
Time zones 1 1