Moving to Ethiopia from Latvia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Latvia to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 50°F in Riga, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

LV
3.6
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LV
9.8
ET
17.7

Latvia performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LV
$3,034
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LV
33.8
ET
1.1

Latvia 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

LV
40.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LV
3.6t
ET
0.1t

Latvia generally does better on environment, though Ethiopia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LV
26.4
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LV
1.1%
ET
32.3%

Latvia performs 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

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

a broad measure of economic output per person

LV
$37,800
ET
$2,800

Latvia generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LV
75.9 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LV
4.8
ET
33.5

Latvia performs better than Ethiopia across all family life metrics.

Data: State Revenue Service, Latvia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Riga Rain: 24.9 in/yr (633 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riga Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Riga Addis Ababa
Jan 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia 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.

Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Latvia

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

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 Latvia and Ethiopia.

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Latvia performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Latvia.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Latvia?

Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ethiopia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 33.8 in Latvia. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.

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At a Glance

LV ET
Population 1,842,226 113,656,596
Currency Euro (€) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Latvian Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +371 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911