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

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Cologne?

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

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

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.

Cologne

Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Ethiopia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ethiopia, The Best Historical Tours in Germany, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Germany.


Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Addis Ababa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $67, while the average daily cost in Cologne is $175. 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 Cologne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $43
    Cologne $99
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $86
    Cologne $198
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Cologne

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Cologne? 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 Cologne


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 Cologne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $7.73
    Cologne $21
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:

  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:

  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $111
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $100
  • Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $84
  • Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
  • Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Cologne?

Prices for flights to both Cologne 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 $17
    Cologne $54
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 Cologne

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


  • Dinner
    $15
  • Donner Kebab
    $4.36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne

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

  • Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
  • 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $490

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $7.98
    Cologne $22

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

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

  • Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
  • Half Day City Tour of Addis Ababa : $60
  • City tour of Addis, Transit in Addis by car: $65
  • Food tasting tours, Enjera/Injera baking,coffee ceremony,Tej tasting: $69
  • Addis Ababa Guided City Tour With Airport & Hotel Pick Up: $70
  • Addis Ababa Half Day Shopping Tour: $70
  • Addis Ababa City tour: $72
  • Addis Ababa Authentic Private City Tour: $75
  • “Addis Ababa City Tours”: $75
  • Every day Addis Ababa City Tour : $75
  • Addis Ababa City Tours Full Day With Hotel Pickup And Drop Off: $79
  • Addis Food Tasting Tour : $79

Tours and Activities in Cologne

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

  • 3-Hour Cologne Street Art Bike Tour in Small Group with Guide: $44
  • 3-Hour Murder Mystery Interactive City Walking Tour in Köln: $76
  • Aachen Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $7.73
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.64
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $12
  • Aachen Town Hall Tour - GERMAN (public): $20
  • Aachen old town tour - GERMAN (public): $13
  • Ancient Echoes: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Roman Cologne: $11
  • Awesome Sites of Cologne – Private Family Walking Tour: $402
  • Awesome Sites of Cologne Private Family Walking Tour: $205
  • Beethoven and Bonn Highlights Tour from Cologne by Car: $855
  • Best of Cologne in 1-Day Private Guided Tour with Transport: $446

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $6.59
    Cologne $25

Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:

  • Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $19
  • Public brewery tour in Cologne in English: $22
  • Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $22
  • Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
  • Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
  • Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $30
  • Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $32
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
  • Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
  • Cologne Wine Tasting Private Tour with Wine Expert: $285


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


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Cologne?

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