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

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Antsiranana?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Antsiranana, 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 Antsiranana?

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.

Antsiranana

Antsiranana is the capital of Madagascar's northernmost province, Diana, and until 1975 it was known as Diego Suarez. The city has a port that has become a site for naval repairs and is the largest in the entire Indian Ocean. The port is mainly used for tinned fish and bottled drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). The city has a population of a little over 100,000. The French used the city as a military base after independence from 1960 until 1973, after the socialist revolution.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Madagascar, and The Best Wildlife Tours to Madagascar.


Which place is cheaper, Antsiranana 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $36, while the average daily cost in Antsiranana is $109. 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 Antsiranana in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $20
    Antsiranana $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $40
    Antsiranana $82
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Antsiranana

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Antsiranana? 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 Antsiranana


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.53
    Antsiranana $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

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

  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $21
  • City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $26
  • Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $30
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Antsiranana?

Prices for flights to both Antsiranana 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 $14
    Antsiranana $57
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.06

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:

  • Dinner Cultural shows and best Nightlife : $21
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $50
  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Mom's cooking class: $60
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $70
  • City Tour, Food Tour, Shopping Mercato Market : $72
  • Addis Ababa Private City Tour with Immersive Cooking Class Lunch: $77
  • Ethiopian Cultural Dinner in Addis Ababa with LIVE Traditional Dance Show: $77
  • Culinary Class and Food Tour in Addis Ababa : $82
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $84
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $95

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antsiranana

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

  • MADAGASCAR DIEGO SUAREZ: COOKING CLASS: $71
  • MADAGASCAR DIEGO SUAREZ: STREETFOOD TOUR: $72

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.64
    Antsiranana $18

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

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

  • Addis Ababa City Tours Full-Day Tours : $113
  • Fullday VIP Tour to The Unity Park, Friendship Park, Entoto park: $95
  • "Awash National Park Safari Experience": $280
  • 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $295
  • 2 Days guided Tour in Addis Abeba: $68
  • 2-Day Sof Omar Cave and Sheik Hussein Shrine Tour: $450
  • 3 Day Private Meskel Festival, Addis Ababa City and Debre Libanos Monastery Tour: $300
  • 3 Days Visiting Harar and Dire Dawa Tours: $480
  • 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $85
  • 4 Hours Addis Ababa highlights city tour from Bole airport: $75
  • 5 Days Visiting Tigray Churches Tours: $1,200
  • 9 Days Omo Valley and Danakil Danakil Depression tour: $3,808

Tours and Activities in Antsiranana

For Antsiranana, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • MADAGASCAR DIEGO SUAREZ: CITY TOUR: $59

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $3.01
    Antsiranana $9.43

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
  • Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $69


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Antsiranana, we can see that Antsiranana is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Addis Ababa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Addis Ababa 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 Antsiranana would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Antsiranana than you might in Addis Ababa.

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 Antsiranana Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Antsiranana?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Antsiranana. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Antsiranana, 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.