Moving to Belgium from Ethiopia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ethiopia to Belgium, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°F vs 74°F in Addis Ababa, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
501 ↑ 30% vs 2022

people moved from Ethiopia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Belgium?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
8.6
BE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
BE
4.6

Belgium performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ET
$86
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
BE
63.9

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium 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

ET
46.0
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
BE
7.3t

Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Belgium 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

ET
0.5
BE
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
BE
51.9%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Ethiopia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ET
3.5%
BE
5.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
BE
$63,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ET
68.2 yrs
BE
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
BE
3.2

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

Data: Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Brussels
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Brussels
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Belgium

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ethiopia and Belgium.

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Belgium performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET BE
Population 113,656,596 11,847,338
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Euro (€)
Languages Amharic Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112