Moving to Sri Lanka from Yemen

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Yemen to Sri Lanka, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

YE
6.3
LK
3.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

YE
29.8
LK
11.5

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

YE
$169
LK
$507
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

YE
1.0
LK
11.4

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

YE
109.0
LK
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

YE
0.3t
LK
1.1t

Yemen generally does better on environment, though Sri Lanka leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

YE
1.3
LK
8.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

YE
169.8%
LK
90.8%

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

YE
17.3%
LK
4.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

YE
$634
LK
$5,002

Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Yemen leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

YE
69.4 yrs
LK
77.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

YE
33.8
LK
5.2

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2014–2015), Yemen Tax Authority (2016), Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department (2016). How we calculate this

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Yemen passport

Yemen passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

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

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Yemen

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sri Lanka?

With 8.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sri Lanka can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Yemen and Sri Lanka.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Yemen.

How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Yemen?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Yemen leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 1.0 in Yemen. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Yemen: 42).

What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?

The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Yemen, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

YE LK
Population 41,773,878 21,756,000
Currency Yemeni Rial (YER) Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Languages Arabic Sinhala, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +967 +94
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 119