Moving to Ethiopia from Russia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Russia to Ethiopia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Russia to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ethiopia compared to Russia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RU
6.8
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RU
10.6
ET
17.7

Russia 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

RU
$3,204
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RU
38.3
ET
1.1

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RU
39.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RU
14.0t
ET
0.1t

Russia 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

RU
24.8
ET
0.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RU
4.1%
ET
32.3%

Russia 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

RU
3.3%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RU
$39,800
ET
$2,800

Russia performs better than Ethiopia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RU
72.4 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RU
6.4
ET
33.5

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

Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Moscow Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Moscow Addis Ababa
Jan 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.

Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Russia

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

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?

Connectivity is usually fine (Ethiopia: 0.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ethiopia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Ethiopia safe for expats?

Russia performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Russia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Russia, the official language is Russian.

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At a Glance

RU ET
Population 142,021,981 113,656,596
Currency Russian Ruble (RUB) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages Russian Amharic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +7 +251
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 112 911