Moving to Ethiopia from El Salvador

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from El Salvador to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 87°F in San Salvador, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SV
7.8
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SV
21.5
ET
17.7

El Salvador 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

SV
$1,176
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SV
15.5
ET
1.1

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SV
31.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SV
1.5t
ET
0.1t

El Salvador generally does better on environment, though Ethiopia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SV
10.6
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SV
13.2%
ET
32.3%

El Salvador 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

SV
2.8%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SV
$11,300
ET
$2,800

El Salvador generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SV
75.4 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SV
12.1
ET
33.5

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

San Salvador Rain: 70.0 in/yr (1777 mm)
87° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Salvador Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month San Salvador Addis Ababa
Jan 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between El Salvador 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.

El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting El Salvador

Visa Required
Ethiopia passport holders need a visa to enter El Salvador.

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 El Salvador and Ethiopia.

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

El Salvador 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 7.8 in El Salvador.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to El Salvador?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 15.5 in El Salvador. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).

What's the weather like in Ethiopia compared to El Salvador?

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In El Salvador, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

SV ET
Population 6,568,745 113,656,596
Currency Salvadoran Colón (SVC) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Spanish Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +503 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911