Moving to Saudi Arabia from Ethiopia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 74°F in Addis Ababa, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ethiopia generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate.
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 Saudi Arabia 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 performs better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Ethiopia leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in unemployment rate.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Saudi Arabia 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 | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Addis Ababa | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI),
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. To live, work, or study long-term in Saudi Arabia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Saudi Arabia's immigration authority.
Ethiopia passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Required
Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Saudi Arabia has 37.0 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 Saudi Arabia safe for expats?
Ethiopia generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Ethiopia?
Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Ethiopia?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.
