Moving to Norway from Ethiopia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ethiopia to Norway, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°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 Norway, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
183 ↓ 11% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Norway?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ET
8.6
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
NO
1.5

Norway 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
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
NO
51.7

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway 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
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
NO
7.2t

Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Norway 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
NO
45.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
NO
2.0%

Norway 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%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
NO
$90,500

Ethiopia generally does better on employment & economy, though Norway 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
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
NO
2.3

Norway 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

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Oslo
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Oslo
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
Norway 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 Norway?

With 45.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Norway 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 Norway.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET NO
Population 113,656,596 5,553,840
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Amharic Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112