Moving to Ethiopia from Zambia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zambia to Ethiopia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zambia to Ethiopia, and you’d need to navigate life in Amharic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Ethiopia compared to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Zambia performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ethiopia performs significantly better than Zambia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Zambia generally does better on infrastructure, though Ethiopia leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Zambia generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Zambia generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lusaka | Addis Ababa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Addis Ababa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia 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.
Zambia passport holder visiting Ethiopia
Visa on Arrival
Ethiopia passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Online (e-Visa)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: 0.6 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?
Zambia performs better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ethiopia is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Ethiopia compared to Zambia?
Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Ethiopia, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Ethiopia scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Ethiopia compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Addis Ababa is 74°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Addis Ababa receives around 45.9 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Ethiopia?
The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic. In Zambia, the official language is English.
