Moving to Ethiopia from Namibia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Namibia to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Namibia to Ethiopia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NA
12.4
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NA
22.0
ET
17.7

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Namibia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NA
$1,068
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NA
5.4
ET
1.1

Namibia 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

NA
43.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NA
1.2t
ET
0.1t

Namibia 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

NA
3.9
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NA
0.9%
ET
32.3%

Namibia 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

NA
19.4%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NA
$11,500
ET
$2,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NA
66.5 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NA
29.4
ET
33.5

Namibia generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in life expectancy.

Data: Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Windhoek Rain: 14.5 in/yr (368 mm)
80° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Windhoek Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 84°/63°F (29°/17°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/49°F (24°/9°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/61°F (30°/16°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Windhoek Addis Ababa
Jan 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.7°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.0°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 81°/61°F (27.4°/15.9°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 78°/55°F (25.8°/12.9°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 74°/50°F (23.4°/9.8°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 69°/44°F (20.7°/6.9°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 70°/44°F (21.2°/6.9°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 75°/48°F (23.8°/8.9°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 82°/54°F (27.5°/12.4°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 85°/58°F (29.3°/14.7°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 86°/61°F (30.2°/16.2°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 89°/63°F (31.4°/17.2°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Namibia Meteorological Service Namibia Meteorological Service, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Namibia 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.

Namibia passport

Namibia passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Namibia

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

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Ethiopia has 0.5 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 Ethiopia safe for expats?

Ethiopia performs significantly better than Namibia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.4 in Namibia.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Namibia?

Namibia 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 5.4 in Namibia. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Namibia: 63).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 80°F in Windhoek. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Windhoek gets 14.5 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Namibia, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana.

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At a Glance

NA ET
Population 2,727,409 113,656,596
Currency Namibian Dollar (NAD) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana Amharic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +264 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111 911