Moving to Ethiopia from Cambodia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Cambodia to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 90°F in Phnom Penh, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2012

per 100,000 people per year

KH
1.8
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KH
18.8
ET
17.7

Cambodia 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

KH
$350
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KH
2.1
ET
1.1

Cambodia 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

KH
60.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KH
1.1t
ET
0.1t

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Cambodia 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

KH
3.0
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KH
1.0%
ET
32.3%

Cambodia performs better than Ethiopia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KH
0.2%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KH
$5,100
ET
$2,800

Cambodia performs better than Ethiopia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KH
70.7 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KH
29.6
ET
33.5

Cambodia generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in education spending.

Data: General Department of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phnom Penh Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Phnom Penh Addis Ababa
Jan 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cambodia 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.

Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Cambodia

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

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 Cambodia and Ethiopia.

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Cambodia 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 1.8 in Cambodia.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Cambodia?

Cambodia 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 2.1 in Cambodia. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 90°F in Phnom Penh. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Phnom Penh gets 51.8 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.

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At a Glance

KH ET
Population 16,713,015 113,656,596
Currency Cambodian Riel (KHR) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Khmer Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +855 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 117 911