Moving to Senegal from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Senegal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Senegal, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dakar averages 82°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Senegal, based on official data.
Who's moving to Senegal?
Top countries of origin for Senegal's foreign-born residents.
- 53,430
- 46,376
- 35,360
- 30,550
- 15,453
- 14,357
- · · ·
-
20.826
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Senegal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States generally does better on safety, though Senegal leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though Senegal leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Senegal leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Senegal leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United States generally does better on family life, though Senegal leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Dakar |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Dakar |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Senegal. To live, work, or study long-term in Senegal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Senegal's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Senegal
Visa Free
Senegal passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Senegal?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Senegal has 4.0 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 Senegal safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though Senegal leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Senegal is 0.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Senegal compared to United States?
Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Senegal, compared to 36.8 in United States. Senegal scores 50 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Senegal compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Dakar is 82°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Dakar receives around 14.9 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Senegal?
The official language in Senegal is French. In United States, the official language is English.
