Moving to Ethiopia from Gambia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Gambia to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 90°F in Banjul, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GM
22.0
ET
17.7

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GM
$94
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
ET
1.1

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gambia leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GM
90.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
ET
0.1t

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Gambia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GM
0.2
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
ET
32.3%

Gambia generally does better on infrastructure, though Ethiopia leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GM
6.5%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
ET
$2,800

Ethiopia generally does better on employment & economy, though Gambia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GM
67.6 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
ET
33.5

Ethiopia generally does better on family life, though Gambia leads in literacy rate.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Addis Ababa
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Ethiopia

Visa on Arrival
Gambia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Ethiopia passport holders can enter Gambia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Ethiopia?

With 0.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ethiopia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Gambia and Ethiopia.

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Gambia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gambia leads in health coverage index. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Gambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GM ET
Population 2,413,403 113,656,596
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages English Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911