Moving to United Arab Emirates from Ethiopia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ethiopia to United Arab Emirates, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dubai averages 91°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 United Arab Emirates, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
11,049 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in Ethiopia live in United Arab Emirates · UN DESA

Who's moving to United Arab Emirates?

Top countries of origin for United Arab Emirates's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ethiopia to United Arab Emirates.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ET
8.6
AE
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
AE
5.9

United Arab Emirates 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
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.4
AE
29.9

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ethiopia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ET
46.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
AE
18.3t

Ethiopia performs better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ET
0.6
AE
40.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
AE
1509.9%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Ethiopia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ET
3.3%
AE
2.2%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$933
AE
$50,274

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ET
67.6 yrs
AE
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
34.5
AE
3.8

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (2016), Ministry of Finance (2016), The World Factbook (2003). How we calculate this

Weather in United Arab Emirates vs Ethiopia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Addis Ababa Rain: 45.9 in/yr (1165 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

Dubai Rain: 3.7 in/yr (94 mm)
91° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Dubai
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 97°/74°F (36°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 104°/83°F (40°/28°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Dubai
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 75°/57°F (24.0°/13.7°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.5°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 90°/68°F (32.4°/20.1°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 98°/74°F (36.8°/23.5°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 102°/79°F (38.8°/26.1°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 105°/84°F (40.6°/28.9°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 105°/85°F (40.4°/29.3°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 102°/79°F (38.7°/26.3°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.7°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 87°/65°F (30.5°/18.3°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.4°C)

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

Can you move from Ethiopia to United Arab Emirates?

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

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Ethiopia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Arab Emirates has 40.8 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 United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Ethiopia?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ethiopia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.9 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 1.4 in Ethiopia. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Ethiopia?

The average high temperature in Dubai is 91°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Dubai receives around 3.7 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET AE
Population 135,472,051 11,513,149
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages Amharic Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 999