Moving to Iceland from Ethiopia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ethiopia to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Ethiopia to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°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 Iceland, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Iceland?
Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.
- 21,102
- 3,918
- 3,171
- 2,604
- 2,357
- 2,284
- · · ·
-
63.88
Ethiopia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Ethiopia and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Iceland leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Ethiopia generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Iceland 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Addis Ababa | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Addis Ababa | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI),
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ethiopia and Iceland. To live, work, or study long-term in Iceland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iceland's immigration authority.
Ethiopia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Ethiopia
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
With 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iceland 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 Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Ethiopia?
Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Ethiopia?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.
