Moving to Russia from Ethiopia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ethiopia to Russia, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°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 Russia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
270 ↓ 1% vs 2015

people born in Ethiopia live in Russia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Russia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Ethiopia and Russia 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
RU
6.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
RU
10.6

Russia 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
RU
$3,204
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
RU
38.3

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia 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
RU
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
RU
14.0t

Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Russia 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
RU
24.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
RU
4.1%

Russia 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%
RU
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
RU
$39,800

Russia performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ET
68.2 yrs
RU
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
RU
6.4

Russia generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in education spending.

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

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Moscow
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 68°/52°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Moscow
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Russia

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

Russia passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
Russia 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 Russia?

With 24.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Russia 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 Russia.

Is Russia safe for expats?

Russia performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in Russia compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in Russia?

The official language in Russia is Russian. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET RU
Population 113,656,596 142,021,981
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Russian Ruble (RUB)
Languages Amharic Russian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +7
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 911 112