Moving to Ethiopia from Afghanistan

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Afghanistan to Ethiopia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ethiopia compared to Afghanistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
ET
17.7

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Ethiopia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
ET
1.1

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ethiopia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
ET
0.1t

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
ET
32.3%

Ethiopia generally does better on infrastructure, though Afghanistan leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
ET
$2,800

Ethiopia generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
ET
33.5

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Addis Ababa Rain: 45.9 in/yr (1165 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Addis Ababa
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Afghanistan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Ethiopia passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Ethiopia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Ethiopia: 0.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ethiopia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Ethiopia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Afghanistan?

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ethiopia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Ethiopia compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF ET
Population 38,346,720 113,656,596
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +93 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911