Cost of living in Ethiopia
Summary of cost of living in Ethiopia
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 141,979 Birr
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 81,407 Birr WARNING! These estimates are based on only a few data points. At the moment, you should treat them only as a best guess.
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 399 Birr | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 359 Birr | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 319 Birr | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 62 Birr | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 129 Birr | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 29 Birr | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 388 Birr | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 225 Birr | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 27 Birr | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 54 Birr | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 470 Birr | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 89 Birr | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 24 Birr | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 66,924 Birr | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 52,875 Birr | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 1,742 Birr | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 42,581 Birr | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 27,918 Birr | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 1,242 Birr | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 1,416 Birr | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 14,841 Birr | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | - | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 324 Birr | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 200 Birr | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 1,714 Birr | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 2,000 Birr | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 3,052 Birr | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 2,236 Birr | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 1,630,210 Birr | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 46 Birr | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 808 Birr | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 191 Birr | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 200 Birr | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 500 Birr | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 92 Birr | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 369 Birr | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 180 Birr | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 92 Birr | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 100 Birr | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 139 Birr | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 1,078 Birr | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 259 Birr | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | - | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 1,953 Birr | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 574 Birr | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 80 Birr | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 78 Birr | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | - | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | - | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 1,744 Birr | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 265 Birr | ||
Moving to Ethiopia with your children?
International Schools in Ethiopia
Map of Cost of Living in Ethiopia
This map shows only the top cities in Ethiopia. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
List of all cities available in Ethiopia
| Addis Ababa | Arba Minch' | Bahir Dar |
| Debre Birhan | Debre Mark'os | Dire Dawa |
| Gondar | Harar | Inda Silase |
| Jijiga | Jima | Kombolcha |
| Nazret | Shashamane |
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 71% cheaper than in San Francisco, California
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is about the same as in Morelia
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 51% cheaper than in Regina
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 28% more expensive than in Cairo
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 9% cheaper than in Kavala
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is about the same as in Kigali
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 65% cheaper than in Dublin
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 74% more expensive than in Madurai
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 57% cheaper than in Montreal
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 44% cheaper than in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 19% more expensive than in Baku
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 37% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 49% cheaper than in Glasgow
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 16% more expensive than in Hyderabad, India
- Cost of living in Debre Birhan is 12% cheaper than in Bangalore
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 72% cheaper than in Zurich
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 43% cheaper than in Damascus
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 25% cheaper than in Port Louis
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 28% cheaper than in Basra
- Cost of living in Addis Ababa is 25% cheaper than in Arlington, Texas
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- Internet 8 mbps, 1 month in Addis Ababa costs 200 Birr (5 days ago)
- Internet 8 mbps, 1 month in Addis Ababa costs 10,000 Birr (6 days ago)
- Men’s leather business shoes in Addis Ababa costs 2,000 Birr (10 days ago)
- Sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) in Addis Ababa costs 3,200 Birr (10 days ago)
- Jeans (levis 501 or similar) in Addis Ababa costs 1,800 Birr (10 days ago)
- 1 kg of rice in Addis Ababa costs 70 Birr (10 days ago)
- Bread for 2 people for 1 day (250 g) in Addis Ababa costs 25 Birr (10 days ago)
- 500 ml domestic beer in the supermarket in Addis Ababa costs 60 Birr (10 days ago)
- 1 kg of potatoes in Addis Ababa costs 30 Birr (10 days ago)
- 1 kg of apples in Addis Ababa costs 200 Birr (10 days ago)