Living in Bamako, Mali

Bamako is a large inland city in Mali (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 28°C over the year with about 773 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,471 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Mali is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost: €2,471; a month for a couple
Climate: 28°C; 773 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 30/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Mali. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Mali are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Mali, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

Travel advisory. As of 13 October 2026, the US State Department advises against all travel to Mali ("Level 4: Do Not Travel"). Our quiz and best-cities lists leave Bamako out, and the safety figures below are country averages that do not reflect the advisory. Read the current advisory on travel.state.gov and your own government's travel advice.

What stands out about Bamako

Warmer than 98% of the cities we track

Safety and stability

Mali scores 30 out of 100 on safety, safer than 0% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 3.4 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Mali: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Healthcare

Mali scores 40 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 1% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Mali: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Bamako averages 28°C across the year with about 773 mm of rain, which makes it warm and moderately wet. It is warmer than 98% of the 1225 cities we track.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,471 a month to live centrally in Bamako, 9% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 73% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Mali offers no investor or passive-income visa; long-term residency realistically comes via an employer-sponsored work permit or establishing a business, after which a low-cost, discretionary residence permit is renewed, with naturalization possible after about a decade.

For short visits, 23 of 198 passports can enter visa-free, 2 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 173 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Questions couples ask about Bamako

Is Bamako a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Bamako scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety, healthcare and political stability. Our figures for Mali are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, moderately wet climate (28°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks 915 cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Bamako?

We estimate about €2,471 a month for a couple living centrally, 9% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Mali, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Mali long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Mali offers no investor or passive-income visa; long-term residency realistically comes via an employer-sponsored work permit or establishing a business, after which a low-cost, discretionary residence permit is renewed, with naturalization possible after about a decade.

What is the weather like in Bamako?

Bamako averages 28°C across the year with about 773 mm of rain, which makes it warm and moderately wet. It is warmer than 98% of the cities we track.