Burkina Faso · Visit or make it home

Ouagadougou

Ouagadougou is a city in Burkina Faso. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Ouagadougou — Ouagadougou Skyline

Get to know Ouagadougou

A sense of the place

Ouagadougou or Wagadugu is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso, and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre of the nation. It has a population of 2,415,266 in 2019. The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais. The spelling of the name Ouagadougou is derived from the French orthography common in former French African colonies. Ouagadougou's primary industries are food processing and textiles. It is served by an international airport and is linked by rail to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast and, for freight only, to Kaya. There are several highways linking the city to Niamey, Niger, south to Ghana, and southwest to Ivory Coast. Ouagadougou has one of West Africa's largest markets, which burned down in 2003 and has since reopened with better facilities and improved fire-prevention measures. Other attractions include the National Museum of Burkina Faso, the Moro-Naba Palace , the National Museum of Music, and several craft markets.

Weather through the year

When to visit Ouagadougou

Temperature

April has the warmest monthly average (32.4°C); January is coolest (22.9°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

August averages about 245 mm of rain, compared with 0 mm in December. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C22.926.630.232.432.029.727.426.326.627.625.823.3
Rain, mm11326631071782451474510

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Ouagadougou

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Ouagadougou

What is the average rent in Ouagadougou?

A verified average rent for Ouagadougou is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Ouagadougou

What is the average salary in Ouagadougou?

212.2 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Burkina Faso, not average salary in Ouagadougou. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Ouagadougou with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Ouagadougou, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Ouagadougou in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Ouagadougou at a glance

Burkina Faso: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Ouagadougou. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators
What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Ouagadougou with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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