Moving to New Zealand from Ethiopia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ethiopia to New Zealand, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°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 New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
78 ↑ 30% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to New Zealand?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Ethiopia and New Zealand 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
NZ
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
NZ
6.6

New Zealand performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

ET
$86
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
NZ
35.7

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand 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
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
NZ
6.0t

Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though New Zealand 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
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand performs significantly 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

ET
3.5%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
NZ
$48,800

New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ET
68.2 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
NZ
3.4

New Zealand 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

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Wellington
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Wellington
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Ethiopia passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
New Zealand 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 New Zealand?

With 35.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, New Zealand 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 New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Ethiopia?

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET NZ
Population 113,656,596 5,053,004
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Amharic English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +251 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 911 111