Which place is cheaper, Budapest or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Addis Ababa or Budapest?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Budapest, 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 Budapest?
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.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Ethiopia, The Best Luxury Tours to Ethiopia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Budapest, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $67Budapest $91
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $67, while the average daily cost in Budapest is $91. 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 Budapest in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $43Budapest $50
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $86Budapest $100
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Budapest
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Budapest? 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 Budapest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $7.73Budapest $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:
-
Short Taxi Ride$0.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
- City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
-
Short Taxi Ride$7.04
-
Metro Pass$3.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- T72 Tank Driving with Hummer Transfer: $1,615
- Budapest - Hungary to Bucharest - Romania /Private Transfer: $1,314
- Bucharest - Romania to Budapest - Hungary /Private Transfer: $1,205
- Private transfer from Budapest to Prague: $1,077
- Private transfer from Budapest to Zagreb: $947
- Transfer from Vienna to Budapest: $718
- Budapest-Vienna Private Transfer by Luxury Vehicle: $653
- Private transfer from Budapest to Vienna: $599
- Private transfer between Budapest and Vienna: $479
- Private Transfer from Budapest to Zadar, Hotel-to-hotel, English-speaking driver: $288
- Private transfer from Budapest to Bratislava with Hotel or Airport pick-up: $282
- Private Budapest - Vienna transfer with an optional 2 hours stop in Bratislava: $279
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Budapest?
Prices for flights to both Budapest 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 dayAddis Ababa $17Budapest $23
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:
-
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:
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
- City Tour, Food Tour, Shopping in Shiro Meda Market : $72
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $75
- Culinary Class and Food Tour in Addis Ababa : $82
- Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
- Private Ethiopian Home Cooking Class in Addis Ababa with Transfer: $124
- Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Coffee Ceremony at a Home in Addis Ababa: $168
- Food Tour in Addis Ababa: $205
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
-
Lunch$3.44
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Guided Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks Included in Budapest: $32
- Tipsy Guided Food Tour with Drinks Included in Budapest: $32
- Budapest Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks: $32
- Budapest Tipsy Food Tour with Drinks and Food Included: $32
- Traveling Spoon Hungarian Goulash Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Guided Food Tour with Drinks Included in Budapest: $42
- Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $46
- Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $47
- Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $53
- Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $53
- Private Street Food Tour: $60
- Budapest Tipsy Guided Food Tour with Drinks Included: $66
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $7.98Budapest $22
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
- “Addis Ababa City Tours”: $75
- 3 Days Meskel Festival Package-Addis Ababa City Tour/Debre Libanos Monastery: $256
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $85
- Addis Ababa - Half Day City Tour: $180
- Addis Ababa Authentic Private City Tour: $75
- Addis Ababa Bole Airport Culinary and Walking Tour : $89
- Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
- Addis Ababa City Tour: $120
- Addis Ababa City Tours Full Day With Hotel Pickup And Drop Off: $79
- Addis Ababa City Tours With Cocking Class Of Ethiopian Food & Shopping : $81
- Addis Ababa City tour: $72
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Entrance to the Baths for Two$6.91
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- Danube Bend Private All Day Tour with Lunch, with entrance fees and cruise: $167
- Interactive Magic and Witchcraft Discovery Tour in Budapest: $22
- Private Budapest city tour with a daytime Danube river cruise: $245
- 1 Hour Budapest Segway Tour - Parliament Hightails: $39
- 1 Hour Sightseeing Cruise in Budapest: $11
- 10PM Budapest Danube Cruise with Live Music & Food or Drinks : $20
- 2 Hours Buda Castle Walking Tour - Walk with a Historian: $45
- 2 Hours Private Scenic Photo Tour Around Budapest: $223
- 2-Hour Private Budapest Castle Walking Tour: $129
- 20 Dog-statues in Budapest - an unusual tour: $28
- 22 Dog-statues in Budapest - an unusual tour: $26
- 3 Hours Private Guided Tour In Budapest: $164
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $6.59Budapest $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $22
- Budapest Pub Crawl +6 free Shots +VIP Access +Drinking Games : $22
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $26
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $26
- Private, Personalized Pub Crawl, 5 drinks included: $27
- Pub Crawl Budapest - with challanges and games: $30
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $33
- Hungarian pálinka distillery visit and tasting: $33
- Pub Crawl - Bar Pass: $38
- Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $39
- Budapest Pub Pass: The Bar Crawl Tour: $39
- Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $40
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Budapest, we can see that Budapest 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 Budapest 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 Budapest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Budapest 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 Budapest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Budapest?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 63% larger than the population of Budapest. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Budapest, 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.