Moving to Portugal from Ethiopia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Ethiopia to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Ethiopia to Portugal, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Ethiopia to Portugal, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
32 ↑ 7% vs 2015

people born in Ethiopia live in Portugal · UN DESA

Who's moving to Portugal?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ethiopia to Portugal.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
8.6
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
PT
7.2

Portugal 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
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
PT
57.7

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal 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
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
PT
3.3t

Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Portugal 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
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
PT
12.3%

Portugal 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%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
PT
$41,700

Ethiopia generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal 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
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
PT
2.5

Portugal 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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Lisbon
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Lisbon
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Portugal

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
Portugal 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 Portugal?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Portugal has 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Portugal safe for expats?

Portugal performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET PT
Population 113,656,596 10,242,081
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Euro (€)
Languages Amharic Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 911 112