Which place is cheaper, Basel 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.
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Should you visit Addis Ababa or Basel?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Basel, 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 Basel?
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.
Basel
Basel is often overlooked as a tourist destination in Switzerland, but despite this, it does have a lot to offer visitors as well as a beautiful medieval historic center. Every year it also hosts a Carnival festival that is one of the most popular in Europe, competing with those in Venice and Rio de Janeiro in its popularity. There are also some excellent museums and great examples of regional architecture around town. Basel also serves as an excellent entry point to the Swiss Jura mountains and a jumping off point to visit more popular cities such as Zurich or Lucerne.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Switzerland, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Switzerland.
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Addis Ababa Prices
Ethiopia PricesBasel Prices
Switzerland Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $29Basel $328
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $29, while the average daily cost in Basel is $328. 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 Basel in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $16Basel $167
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $32Basel $334
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Basel
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Basel? 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.
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 Basel Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $2.82Basel $53
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
- Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $23
- Bole International Airport to Addis Ababa Private Transfer: $30
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $40
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
- Private Addis Ababa Airport Transfer: $55
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $152
- 4 Hours Addis Airport Transfer with Ethiopian Cultural Tour: $299
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Basel
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Basel:
- Private Transfer: Basel Airport BSL to Zurich in Luxury Van: $269
- Private direct transfer from Basel to Bern: $254
- Basel Airport (BSL) to Feldberg - Round Trip Private Transfer: $249
- Private Transfer Basel Airport BSL to Zurich City in Car or Van: $236
- Private direct transfer: Basel to Zurich, English speaking driver: $235
- Private direct transfer from Basel to Zurich: $223
- Basel Airport (BSL) to Basel - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $185
- Private Transfer Service from Basel to Basel Airport: $133
- Basel Airport (BSL) to Badenweiler - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $133
- Private Transfer from Basel Airport BSL to Basel City: $129
- Basel Airport (BSL) to Feldberg Resort - Arrival Private Transfer: $124
- Airport Transfer: Basel to EuroAirport (BSL MLH EAP) by MB Van: $123
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Basel?
Prices for flights to both Basel 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
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Food Meals for one dayAddis Ababa $11Basel $123
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:
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Slice of Cake$0.04
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:
- Berbere Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $54
- Flavors of Ethiopia: Hands-On Cooking Class in Addis Ababa: $55
- Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
- Addis Ababa Ethiopian cooking class Airport & hotel pick up: $68
- Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $70
- Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $75
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $76
- Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $77
- Addis Ababa Private City Tour with Immersive Cooking Class Lunch: $85
- Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Basel
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Basel.
- Self-Guided Food Tour: $49
- Traditional Swiss Dinner: Cheese Fondue, Appetizers/Dessert: $162
- Cooking Class: Homemade Italian Lasagna Experience by Locals: $187
- Homemade Italian Pizza & Focaccia Experience with a Local Family: $194
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $2.91Basel $43
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Tour: $30
- 5 hours Addis Ababa Layover city tour: $36
- Layover in Addis Ababa 5 hours tour: $38
- Sightseeing Walking Tour: $40
- Open-bus Tour and Cycling: $41
- Local Food Open Market, City Tours & More.: $42
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa Cultural Discovery Tour: $42
- Merkato Addis Ababa Guided Tour: $42
- Mercato Market Guided Tour with Coffee Tasting: $43
- Entoto hill and Mercato Market layover tour: $45
- Addis Ababa DayTours with Hotel/Airport pick up and drop off: $45
- Best of Addis Privet Guided city Tour: $46
Tours and Activities in Basel
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Basel are as follows:
- Basel (Kleinbasel) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $9.06
- Basel : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $89
- Basel Chocolate Workshop & Historic Old Town Tour: $117
- Basel City Sightseeing Bus Tour: $34
- Basel City Tour: The Essentials: $32
- Basel City Tour: The Essentials: $62
- Basel Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $9.46
- Basel Farmer's Market, Cheese, Chocolate & Pastry Tour: $117
- Basel Historical Old Town Tour: $20
- Basel Historical Old Town Tour: $26
- Basel Old Town Walking Tour With A Guide: $59
- Basel Old Town Walking Tour With A Guide: $58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $2.40Basel $38
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Basel
Also in Basel, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Alsace wine tour & medieval villages small group guided tour: $368
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Basel, we can see that Basel is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Addis Ababa is in Africa and Basel is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Basel would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Basel 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 Basel Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Basel?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Basel. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Basel, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.