Which place is cheaper, Bucharest or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Addis Ababa or Bucharest?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Bucharest, 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 Bucharest?
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.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ethiopia, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Ethiopia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Romania.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $68Bucharest $137
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $68, while the average daily cost in Bucharest is $137. 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 Bucharest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $44Bucharest $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $88Bucharest $126
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Bucharest
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Bucharest? 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 Bucharest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $7.85Bucharest $26
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$0.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4 Hours Addis Airport Transfer with Ethiopian Cultural Tour: $299
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
- Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $21
- City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $175
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bucharest
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
- Bucharest to Sofia - Private Transfer: $578
- Bucharest to Sofia Private Transfer: $446
- Bucharest to Mihail Kogalniceanu - Private Transfer: $343
- Mihail Kogalniceanu to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $343
- Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo - Private Transfer: $321
- Bucharest to Fetesti - Private Transfer: $321
- Bucharest to Craiova - Private Transfer: $300
- Transfer Bucharest Airport to Brasov: $287
- Bucharest to Fetesti - Private Transfer - Car and Driver: $272
- Bucharest to Brasov - Private Transfer from Henri Coanda International Airport: $272
- Private Transfer Bucharest to Constanta/Mamaia or Back: $256
- Private transfer from Bucharest Otopeni Airport OTP to Chisinau KIV: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Bucharest?
Prices for flights to both Bucharest 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 $18Bucharest $58
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$0.12
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:
- Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $70
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $75
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $108
- Private Ethiopian Home Cooking Class in Addis Ababa with Transfer: $124
- HALF DAY + DINNER Addis Ababa City Tour: $140
- Half Day + Dinner Addis Ababa City Tour: $150
- Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis with transfers: $154
- Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Coffee Ceremony at a Home in Addis Ababa: $168
- Food Tour in Addis Ababa: $205
- Food tours in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: $239
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bucharest
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
- Bohemian Bucharest Markets and Mahallas Traditional Food Tour: $60
- Cooking Class traditional food: $65
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $74
- Unhealthy Food Tour of Bucharest – 4 hours: $75
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner: $84
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner - 3 hours: $86
- Private Walking Food Tour - Culture, History & Traditions: $98
- 4-Hour Walking Food Tour in the Old Town: $201
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $8.10Bucharest $15
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Addis Ababa Tour: $53
- Historical and sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa: $54
- Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
- Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $56
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $57
- Guided City Tour: $59
- A guided tour of Addis Abeba that includes a city viewpoint: $59
- Addis Ababa highlights of the city tour: $59
- Half Day City Tour of Addis Ababa : $60
- Addis Ababa city Tour: $60
- Addis Abeba's Market and Shopping Tour: $60
- Addis Ababa Guided City Tours: $62
Tours and Activities in Bucharest
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bears Sanctuary, Dracula's Castle, Brasov Day Trip Private Tour from Bucharest: $248
- Bucharest Panoramic Sightseeing - Private City Tour: $92
- Transylvania Heritage Tour at Peles Bran and Cantacuzino Castles: $92
- 1 Day 4x4 Tour in Carpathian Mountains: $173
- 1 Day ATV Tour in Carpathian Mountains: $206
- 1 Day Castles Tour - Sinaia and Bran: $137
- 10h Bucharest City Tour & Snagov Monastery (Dracula's Grave): $257
- 14 Days Private Tour in Romania, Moldova & Transnistria: $4,712
- 2 Days Private Tour - The Romanian Caves from Bucharest: $557
- 2 Hour Photoshoot Experience Near Bucharest Architectural Charms: $98
- 2 Hours Private Walking Tour in Bucharest City: $87
- 2-Day Medieval Transylvania with Brasov,Sibiu and Sighisoara Tour from Bucharest: $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $6.69Bucharest $9.17
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
- The Pub Crawl Royale: A Battle of the Best Drinks: $64
- Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $69
Sample the Local Flavors in Bucharest
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Weekend Pub Crawl: $23
- Bucharest Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $25
- Bachelors Party in Custom Bar Crawl: $37
- Private Bar Crawling in Bucharest Old City: $42
- Private Wine Tasting in Bucharest: $43
- From Romanian Wine Tasting Tour: $45
- Pub Crawl in the Old CIty and Rooftop Hopping in Bucharest: $47
- Romanian Wine Tasting: $48
- Private Romanian Wine Tasting in Urlați: $51
- Bucharest VIP Bar Crawl in Lipscani 'Old Town': $59
- Bucharest City Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- Wine Tasting Tour at First Wine Bar: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Bucharest, we can see that Bucharest 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 Bucharest 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 Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest 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 Bucharest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Bucharest?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 47% larger than the population of Bucharest. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Bucharest, 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.