Moving to Ethiopia from Samoa

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Addis Ababa averages 74°F vs 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ethiopia compared to Samoa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.2
ET
8.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
ET
17.7

Samoa 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

WS
$474
ET
$86
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
ET
1.1

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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

WS
34.0
ET
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
ET
0.1t

Samoa 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

WS
0.8
ET
0.5
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
ET
17.0%

Samoa 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

WS
9.8%
ET
3.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
ET
$2,800

Samoa 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

WS
75.2 yrs
ET
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
ET
33.5

Samoa performs better than Ethiopia across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Revenue, Samoa, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Addis Ababa
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 76°/48°F (24°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 71°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C)
View all months
Month Apia Addis Ababa
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa 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.

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Samoa

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

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?

Samoa performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Samoa?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

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At a Glance

WS ET
Population 206,179 113,656,596
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Languages English, Samoan Amharic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +685 +251
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911