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

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Calgary?

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

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

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.

Calgary

Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and, located at the edge of the prairie and foothills, it is a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. If you're headed to Banff or Jasper, this is likely to be your first stop. It's also Canada's fourth largest city and worth a few days visit. Calgary's economy is diverse, but includes energy, financial services, film and television, transportation, technology, manufacturing, and much more.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Calgary 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 Calgary is $168. 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 Calgary in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $19
    Calgary $69
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $38
    Calgary $138
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Calgary

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Calgary? 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 Calgary


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 Calgary Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.47
    Calgary $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.23

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 pickup and Transfer: $16
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $16
  • Addis Ababa Private Airport-Hotel Transfer: $82
  • City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $35
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $36
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $35
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:

  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Vancouver: $2,035
  • Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper Shuttle Transfer: $1,187
  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Fernie, BC: $489
  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Edmonton: $475
  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Golden BC: $475
  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Lake Louis: $339
  • Banff To Calgary Airport - Private Transfer: $339
  • Calgary to Lake Louise private group transfer: $278
  • Calgary Airport (YYC) to Lake Louise - Arrival Private Transfer: $275
  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Red Deer: $237
  • Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $215
  • Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Kananaskis: $210

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Calgary?

Prices for flights to both Calgary 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 $13
    Calgary $51
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.05

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:

  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $61
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Flavors of Ethiopia Explore Traditional Cooking Class : $67
  • Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $80
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $82
  • Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $90
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
  • Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $100
  • Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $120

Typical Food Prices in Calgary

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Calgary:


  • Bread, Chips, Cheese
    $7.67

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Calgary

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

  • Light Brunch & Food Tour at Calgary Farmers' Market WEST: $75
  • Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $120

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.58
    Calgary $15

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

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

  • Explore Addis Ababa full day city tour: $43
  • Layover in Addis Ababa 5 hours tour: $46
  • Best of Merkato Addis Guided Tour: $46
  • Guided City Tour: $48
  • Addis Ababa city tour.: $49
  • Pup crawl and nightlife tour in Addis Ababa.: $50
  • City tour of Addis, Transit in Addis by car: $51
  • Historical and sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa: $53
  • Addis Ababa City Tour. : $54
  • Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $54
  • Authentic Addis Ababa City Tour with a Local Guide: $55
  • Half Day Addis Ababa Tour: $55

Typical Entertainment Prices in Calgary

Here are a few typical costs in Calgary for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Stampede Admission (for 2)
    $21

Tours and Activities in Calgary

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

  • 2 Day Guided Tour in Banff National Park: $265
  • 2 Day Tour Explore Banff National Park and Rocky mountains: $203
  • 6-Hour Private City Tour Drive to Calgary Tower: $645
  • Banff Area & Johnston Canyon 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff: $99
  • Banff Explorer™ Private Tour with Moraine Lake & Lake Louise: $678
  • Banff National Park: Full-Day Adventure: $149
  • Banff, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Marble Canyon awarded tour: $73
  • Banff, Moraine Lake & Lake Louise Tour : $281
  • Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $50
  • Calgary City Highlights Scooter Tour | 2-Hour: $78
  • Calgary City Tour : $186
  • Calgary City Tour & Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary Private Tour: $257

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $2.96
    Calgary $10

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 ): $52
  • Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $65

Sample the Local Flavors in Calgary

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

  • Calgary Bar Crawl: Cruisin' Calgary: $12
  • Calgary Brewery and Wine Tours at Award Winning Venues: $77


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


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Calgary?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Calgary. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Calgary, 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.