Moving to Ethiopia from Panama

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Panama to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Panama 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

PA
11.3
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PA
7.3
ET
17.7

Panama generally does better on safety, though Ethiopia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PA
$3,318
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PA
17.3
ET
1.1

Panama 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

PA
17.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PA
2.7t
ET
0.1t

Panama 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

PA
15.5
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PA
0.9%
ET
32.3%

Panama 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

PA
6.7%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$35,800
ET
$2,800

Panama 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

PA
77.6 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PA
16.4
ET
33.5

Panama generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in education spending.

Data: General Directorate of Revenues, Panama, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Panama City Rain: 75.1 in/yr (1907 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Panama City Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Panama City Addis Ababa
Jan 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama 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.

Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Panama

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

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 Panama and Ethiopia.

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Panama generally does better on safety, though Ethiopia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.3 in Panama.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Panama?

Panama 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 17.3 in Panama. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

PA ET
Population 4,337,768 113,656,596
Currency Panamanian Balboa (PAB) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Spanish Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +507 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911