MigrantoAverage salary in Ethiopia
Gross and take-home pay, by industry and against other countries
Average salary
Take-home / mo
ETB 13,900
Gross / yr
ETB 203,000
Ethiopia is one of the continent's fast-growing economies, but growth and pay aren't the same thing — wages for an established career sit near the bottom both for Africa and for the world. Tax takes a modest share, so you keep most of what comes in, which matters more here than it would somewhere the pay was already high.
Salaries in Ethiopia by industry
What you do for a living is almost the whole story of what you earn. The spread is extreme: energy, finance, and property pay far above the rest, while personal services, hospitality, and farming pay far below. Arriving with the right profession is the difference between a livable wage and barely getting by.
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What you could earn in Ethiopia
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in Ethiopia, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
- What someone in your field earns
- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in Ethiopia
ETB 8,080/mo
vs ETB 189,000 in your country
Cost of living
ETB 4,100
vs ETB 126,000 in your country
Potential savings
ETB 3,980
more than in your country
Standard of living
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How salaries in Ethiopia compare
Ethiopia sits near the floor on both counts — low against the world and low within Africa. It's a young economy still building out the kind of paid, formal work that lifts wages, so for now the earnings stay among the lowest you'll find.
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2021 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Ethiopia?
The average salary in Ethiopia is ETB 16,900 a month before tax, or ETB 13,900 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's ETB 203,000 before tax and ETB 167,000 after.
What is the average salary in Ethiopia in US dollars?
The average salary in Ethiopia in US dollars is about $1,284 a year before tax, or $88 a month after tax.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Ethiopia?
A typical person in Ethiopia spends about ETB 8,520 a month, while the average take-home pay is ETB 13,900. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in Ethiopia for the full picture.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Ethiopia?
The highest-paying jobs in Ethiopia are in energy, finance, and real estate. Take-home pay in these industries averages around ETB 28,400 a month (about ETB 416,000 gross a year), roughly 105% above the national average.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in Ethiopia?
Agriculture is the lowest-paying industry in Ethiopia. Pay there averages around ETB 6,150 a month take-home (about ETB 90,900 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 4.6 times more.
What is a good salary in Ethiopia?
A good salary in Ethiopia is generally one above the national average — more than ETB 13,900 take-home a month, or ETB 203,000 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
Is Ethiopia a high-salary country?
No. By average after-tax pay, Ethiopia is ahead of 2% of countries worldwide and ranks 38th out of 42 countries in Africa.
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Living in Ethiopia
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