A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Addis Ababa vs. Alexandria for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Alexandria?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Alexandria, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Addis Ababa or Alexandria?

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.

Alexandria

There are few cities in the world with a history as rich, deep, tragic and fascinating than Alexandria, Egypt. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Egypt's second largest city has seen the most extreme ups and extreme downs. The city watched the beautiful and iconic Alexandria Lighthouse crumble to the ground after several natural disasters. The Alexandria Library housed their most sacred and historical documents only to be burned to the ground. These structures may be physically gone, but the history remains. Alexandria is a city with an ancient allure that draws in visitors from all over the world. Alexandria is a survivor city ready for a comeback.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Egypt, and The Best Budget Tours to Egypt.


Which place is cheaper, Alexandria or Addis Ababa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Addis Ababa Prices
    Ethiopia Prices
    Alexandria Prices
    Egypt Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Addis Ababa $33
    Alexandria $20

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $33, while the average daily cost in Alexandria is $20. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Addis Ababa and Alexandria in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $18
    Alexandria $7.67
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $36
    Alexandria $15
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Alexandria

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Alexandria? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Addis Ababa


Hotels in Alexandria


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and Alexandria Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.26
    Alexandria $2.39
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $27
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
  • Bole Airport Transfer: $25
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $39
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $34
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Alexandria

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Alexandria:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $0.08

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alexandria

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alexandria:

  • Private transfer from Alexandria to Luxor: $276
  • Private Transfer from Alexandria Port to Cairo Int Airport (CAI): $226
  • Private Transfer from Alexandria Cruise Port to Cairo City Hotels: $226
  • Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo in Egypt or vice versa: $134
  • Private Pick Up Transfers From Alexandria To Cairo: $130
  • From Private One-Way Transfer to Cairo: $92
  • Private Transfer Alexandria Hotel to Cairo Airport : $70
  • Alexandria Hotel to Sphinx Airport Private Transfer: $66
  • Private Transfer from 6 of October City to El Cairo (CAI) Airport: $56
  • Private Pickup Transfer From A Hotel In Alexandria To Borg Al Arab Airport: $50
  • Private Transfer from Alexandria Port to Alexandria Airport (HBE): $42
  • Private Transfer from Alexandria City hotels to Alexandria Port : $42

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Alexandria?

Prices for flights to both Alexandria and Addis Ababa change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Addis Ababa $13
    Alexandria $11
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.05

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa

For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $60
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Flavors of Ethiopia Explore Traditional Cooking Class : $67
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $68
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $69
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $76
  • Ethiopian Cultural Dinner in Addis Ababa with LIVE Traditional Dance Show: $77
  • Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $80
  • Addis Ababa Private City Tour with Immersive Cooking Class Lunch: $85
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
  • Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alexandria.

  • Private Full-Day Food Tour of Alexandria with Hotel Pick Up: $33
  • Alexandria Food Tour Top Rated: $40
  • Private Food Tour To The Famous Restaurant In Alexandria : $45
  • Alexandria food Tour taste the Egyptian traditional food: $60

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.36
    Alexandria $3.35

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.

  • Layover in Addis: Tailored Tours for Transit Passengers: $25
  • Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Tour: $30
  • Sightseeing Walking Tour: $40
  • Experience The Heartbeat of Ethiopia: $42
  • Addis Ababa half day tour: $43
  • Flexable city tour; Addis Ababa: $43
  • Entoto hill and Mercato Market layover tour: $44
  • 4 Hours Addis Ababa Cultural Discovery Tour: $44
  • 5 hours Addis Ababa Layover city tour: $44
  • Addis Ababa DayTours with Hotel/Airport pick up and drop off: $45
  • Layover in Addis Ababa 5 hours tour: $46
  • Guided City Tour: $48

Tours and Activities in Alexandria

Here are a few actual costs in Alexandria for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Alamain Private Day Tour from Alexandria Port : $160
  • Overnight Tour To Cairo from Alexandria Port: $270
  • 10-Hour Historical Pyramids Tour from Alexandria Port: $130
  • 6-Hour Day Tour in Alexandria: $95
  • 6-Hour Day Tour to Alexandria Attractions with Pickup Included: $90
  • 6-Hour Private Day Tour to Rashid from Alexandria: $100
  • 8Days Egypt Tour package UltraLuxury Cairo,Alexandria&cruise: $4,190
  • ALL inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids Sakkara from Alexandria Port: $135
  • Alamein and Alexandria Private Day Tour with Lunch: $200
  • Alexandria : Rosetta Day Tour from Alexandria: $130
  • Alexandria : Tour to WadiElNatroun Monastery from Alexandria: $150
  • Alexandria By Night By Horse Carriage ride And Free Walking Tour: $69

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $2.78
    Alexandria $1.29

Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:

  • Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
  • Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $65


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Alexandria, we can see that Addis Ababa is more expensive. And not only is Alexandria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alexandria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alexandria and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Addis Ababa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Addis Ababa than you might in Alexandria.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is Alexandria Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Alexandria?

Alexandria has a larger population, and is about 38% larger than the population of Addis Ababa. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Alexandria, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.