Moving to Eritrea from Sri Lanka

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sri Lanka to Eritrea — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sri Lanka to Eritrea, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic, English and Tigrinya. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Asmara averages 74°F vs 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Get free moving quotes to Eritrea

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

How Sri Lanka and Eritrea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
ER
14.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
ER
17.7

Sri Lanka performs better than Eritrea across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LK
$507
ER
$87
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
ER
0.7

Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka 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

LK
37.0
ER
78.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
ER
0.2t

Sri Lanka generally does better on environment, though Eritrea 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

LK
10.1
ER
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
ER
11.2%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Eritrea leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
ER
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
ER
$1,600

Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Eritrea leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LK
77.5 yrs
ER
66.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
ER
41.5

Sri Lanka performs better than Eritrea across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Asmara Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
74° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Asmara
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 75°/44°F (24°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 77°/51°F (25°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 72°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 71°/46°F (22°/8°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Asmara
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 73°/42°F (22.6°/5.6°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 75°/44°F (23.9°/6.7°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 77°/47°F (25.1°/8.5°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 76°/50°F (24.5°/9.9°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 77°/52°F (25.2°/10.9°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 77°/52°F (25.1°/11.2°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.4°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 71°/53°F (21.6°/11.4°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 74°/48°F (23.2°/8.7°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 71°/48°F (21.8°/8.8°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 71°/46°F (21.6°/7.5°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 71°/43°F (21.7°/6.2°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, Civil Aviation Authority Civil Aviation Authority

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka and Eritrea. To live, work, or study long-term in Eritrea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Eritrea's immigration authority.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Eritrea

Visa Required
Sri Lanka passport holders need a visa to enter Eritrea.
Eritrea passport

Eritrea passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Eritrea passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Eritrea?

With 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Eritrea can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sri Lanka and Eritrea.

Is Eritrea safe for expats?

Sri Lanka performs better than Eritrea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Eritrea is 14.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Eritrea compared to Sri Lanka?

Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Eritrea, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Eritrea scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Eritrea compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Asmara is 74°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Asmara receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Eritrea?

The official languages in Eritrea are Arabic, English and Tigrinya. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

Share this

At a Glance

LK ER
Population 23,187,516 6,209,262
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Eritrean Nakfa (ERN)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Arabic, English, Tigrinya
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +94 +291
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119