Moving to Sierra Leone from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Sierra Leone — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Sierra Leone. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Freetown averages 86°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Sierra Leone, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Sierra Leone stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sierra Leone performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.
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
Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone 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
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Freetown |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 87°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Freetown |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Sierra Leone. To live, work, or study long-term in Sierra Leone, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sierra Leone's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Sierra Leone
Visa on Arrival
Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone?
With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sierra Leone can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Sierra Leone.
Is Sierra Leone safe for expats?
Sierra Leone performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sierra Leone is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Sierra Leone compared to United States?
Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Sierra Leone, compared to 36.1 in United States. Sierra Leone scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Sierra Leone compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Freetown is 86°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Freetown receives around 116.0 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Sierra Leone?
Both United States and Sierra Leone share the same official language: English.
