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

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Bilbao?

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

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

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.

Bilbao

The industrial city of Bilbao is located on a port of the Nervión River in northern Spain, an important location of Basque country. While the downtown is filled with skyscrapers and innovative architecture, it sits between a river and mountains of natural allure. A city of hard-workers to the core, Bilbao displays remnants of its industrial past, though in more recent years it has transformed into a center for art. It is now a popular location for visitors looking to experience art galleries and museums.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.


Which place is cheaper, Bilbao 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 $38, while the average daily cost in Bilbao is $150. 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 Bilbao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $21
    Bilbao $79
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $42
    Bilbao $158
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Bilbao

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Bilbao? 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 Bilbao


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 Bilbao Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.72
    Bilbao $28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.25

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 transfer and shuttle service(privet): $33
  • Addis Ababa Private Airport-Hotel Transfer: $82
  • Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $20
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $22
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:

  • Bilbao Airport (BIO) to San Sebastian City Center Transfer: $429
  • Bilbao Airport Transfers to Pamplona: $424
  • Bilbao Airport Transfers to Santander: $321
  • Bilbao Airport Transfers to San Sebastian: $321
  • Private Transfer from Bilbao to San Sebastian: $271
  • Private Transfer from Bilbao city to San Sebastian Airport: $271
  • Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Santander Airport : $255
  • Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Santander: $255
  • Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Logroño city: $247
  • Private Transfer from Vitoria to Logroño: $247
  • Private Transfer from Vitoria city to Logroño Airport : $247
  • Private Transfer from Vitoria to Pamplona: $232

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Bilbao?

Prices for flights to both Bilbao 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
    Bilbao $49
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
  • 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
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $70
  • City Tour, Food Tour, Shopping Mercato Market : $72
  • Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $76
  • Addis Ababa Private City Tour with Immersive Cooking Class Lunch: $77
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $86
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $95
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $100

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bilbao

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

  • Basque Food Tour with Guide: $86
  • The High End Bilbao Food Tour for Foodies: $98
  • The Original Bilbao Food Tour with Wine Pairings: $103
  • The High End Food Tour of Bilbao with a Local: $110
  • The Award-Winning Bilbao Food Tour & Wine Pairing by Basque Local: $114
  • Basque Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class with Open Bar: $114
  • Basque Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class in Bilbao: $116
  • Paella Cooking Class with Sangria in Bilbao: $136
  • Traditional Basque Cooking Class with Wine Tasting: $158
  • Small-group Immersive Basque Cooking Class in Bilbao with Open Bar: $166
  • Private Luxury Pintxos & Premium Wines Gourmet Food Tour: $182
  • Guggenheim Museum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour & Dinner: $196

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.84
    Bilbao $32

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

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

  • Addis Ababa City Tour: $46
  • Layover Tour with National Museum & Mercato: $48
  • Addis Ababa city tour.: $49
  • Pup crawl and nightlife tour in Addis Ababa.: $50
  • Best of Addis Ababa City Tour: $53
  • Guided City Tour: $54
  • Guided Walking Tour with National Museum: $55
  • Historical and sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa: $55
  • Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $59
  • City Highlights and Market Tour: $60
  • Half Day City Tour of Addis Ababa : $60
  • Addis Ababa city Tour: $60

Tours and Activities in Bilbao

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

  • PRIVATE San Sebastian and Basque Coast Tour from Bilbao: $293
  • Pintxos Tasting in Bilbao Small Group or Private Walking Tour: $82
  • 3-day Bilbao Bike Tour and Guggenheim Museum Ticket: $259
  • Artist-Guided Tour of the Guggenheim Museum: $99
  • Awesome Bilbao – Private Family Walking Tour: $390
  • Awesome Bilbao – Private Family Walking Tour: $435
  • BILBAO-City Highlights Bike Tour: $36
  • Basque Coast Tour: Vizcaya Bridge, Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika: $66
  • Basque Country 7-Day Guided Tour from Bilbao: $1,163
  • Bilbao & Guggenheim Private Walking Tour from Hotel/Center: $284
  • Bilbao - Private Historic walking tour: $380
  • Bilbao 3-Day Package: Guggenheim, Hotel Stay and Bike Tour: $255

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $3.18
    Bilbao $23

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

Sample the Local Flavors in Bilbao

Also in Bilbao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Unique Spanish Wine Tasting with Sommelier - In Bilbao: $54
  • Spanish Wine Tasting with Sommelier (close to Guggenheim museum): $55
  • Pintxos and Wine Tasting Tour with Local Guide: $80
  • From La Rioja Wineries Day Trip with Wine Tastings: $82
  • Guided tour of Txakoli wine tasting and tasting of wine and typical products: $149
  • Bilbao Txakoli Wine Tour: $179
  • Guided Txacoli Wine Tasting: $190
  • Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Vitoria: $243
  • Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Bilbao: $248
  • Rioja Wine Tour: Winery & Traditional Lunch From Vitoria: $254
  • La Rioja Boutique Wine Tour - 2 Wineries & Picnic Lunch (From Bilbao): $254
  • Architectural Rioja Small Group Wine Tour with Lunch from Bilbao : $259


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Bilbao, we can see that Bilbao 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 Bilbao 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 Bilbao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bilbao 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 Bilbao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Bilbao?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Bilbao, 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.