Moving to Ethiopia from Burundi

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Burundi to Ethiopia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Burundi to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 85°F in Bujumbura, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Burundi to Ethiopia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
166 ↓ 8% vs 2015

people born in Burundi live in Ethiopia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ethiopia?

Top countries of origin for Ethiopia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Burundi and Ethiopia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2016

per 100,000 people per year

BI
5.8
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BI
12.3
ET
17.7

Burundi performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BI
$100
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BI
0.6
ET
1.1

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burundi leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BI
71.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BI
0.1t
ET
0.1t

Burundi generally does better on environment, though Ethiopia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BI
0.0
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BI
10.2%
ET
32.3%

Burundi generally does better on infrastructure, though Ethiopia leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BI
0.9%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BI
$900
ET
$2,800

Burundi generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BI
67.4 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BI
37.8
ET
33.5

Burundi generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bujumbura Rain: 30.9 in/yr (786 mm)
85° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bujumbura Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 85°/67°F (29°/19°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/66°F (30°/19°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Bujumbura Addis Ababa
Jan 84°/67°F (29.1°/19.2°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 85°/67°F (29.7°/19.3°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 85°/67°F (29.3°/19.3°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 86°/66°F (29.9°/19.1°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.6°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.2°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 86°/63°F (30.0°/17.4°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 88°/65°F (30.9°/18.6°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 86°/66°F (30.1°/19.1°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 84°/66°F (29.1°/19.1°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 84°/66°F (28.9°/19.1°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU) Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU), Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burundi 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.

Burundi passport

Burundi passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
Burundi passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Burundi

Visa on Arrival
Ethiopia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Burundi.

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?

With 0.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ethiopia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Burundi and Ethiopia.

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Burundi performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in Burundi.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Burundi?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burundi leads in health coverage index. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 0.6 in Burundi. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burundi: 41).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 85°F in Bujumbura. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Bujumbura gets 30.9 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Burundi, the official languages are French and Kirundi.

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At a Glance

BI ET
Population 12,696,478 113,656,596
Currency Burundian Franc (BIF) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages French, Kirundi Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +257 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911