Which place is cheaper, Jaco 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.
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Should you visit Addis Ababa or Jaco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Jaco, 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 Jaco?
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.
Jaco
Jaco is a beach destination on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This resort city is located in the county of Garabito in the Puntarenas province. It has a population of about 10,000 residents and a 2.5 mile long beach that is an excellent surfing destination.
Because Jaco is located on the coast, it's weather is influenced by the water. The climate is humid with a relative humidity of about 80%, but climbing to 90% in the month of June. The temperature is usually between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit at night. There are distinct wet and dry seasons with August through early December being the rainy season and late December through early April being the dry season. Rain is irregular during the rest of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Addis Ababa Prices
Ethiopia PricesJaco Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $29Jaco $133
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $29, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $133. 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 Jaco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $16Jaco $75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $32Jaco $150
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Jaco
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Jaco? 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 Jaco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $2.80Jaco -
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$0.19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Addis Ababa Airport Transfer: $55
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $39
- Bole International Airport to Addis Ababa Private Transfer: $30
- Bole Airport Transfer: $25
- Private Tour with Local Guide and Transfers: $65
- Photography Tour with Guide & Transfer: $62
- Golf Club Experience with Hotel Transfer: $100
- Customizable Layover Tour with Transfers: $55
- Cultural Show and Jazz Night with Transfers: $44
- Airport Pickup and transfer: $18
- Addis Ababa Layover Tour: Mercato Market & Airport Transfer: $77
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Uvita: $249
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- Jaco/Monteverde to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer: $200
- Private Transfer between SJO Airport, Jaco Beach and OTHERS: $150
- Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer: $141
- Jaco / Los Sueños Marriott Hotels to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $140
- Private Transfer SJO Airport to Jaco & Los Sueños – Safe Reliable: $80
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Playa Jaco Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Jaco Beach Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Cobano Puntarenas: $63
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Jaco?
Prices for flights to both Jaco 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 $11Jaco $40
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$0.04
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:
- Authentic Ethiopian Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
- Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- Addis Ababa Food Tour: Ethiopian Cuisine, Coffee & Drinks: $50
- Berbere Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $50
- Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $50
- Flavors of Ethiopia: Hands-On Cooking Class in Addis Ababa: $55
- Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
- Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $60
- Addis Ababa Ethiopian Food Cooking Class and Kitchen Tour: $60
- Addis Ababa Cooking, Coffee & Traditional Drink Tasting: $65
- Ethiopian Cooking Class with Coffee Ceremony: $70
- Guided Night Tour with Dinner & Live Music: $72
Typical Food Prices in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Hermosa BeachLlunch$4.39
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$20
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Taco Bar Dinner$10
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$7.02
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Ice Cream$6.58
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.72
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Fruit Plate$3.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Jaco Night Jungle with Waterfall Walk, Bonfire and Dinner: $89
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jaco: $99
- TICO Private Walking Food Tour: $107
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $2.89Jaco $67
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- • Ethiopia Danakil Experience: Fire, Salt & Color Adventure: $450
- • Explore the Wild: 5-Day Chebera Churchura Adventure Tours: $1,775
- "Awash National Park Safari Experience": $280
- 1 Day Addis Ababa City Tour: $180
- 14-Days Northern Ethiopia Tours: $1,580
- 2-Day Wenchi Crater Lake & Ethiopian Highland Experience: $300
- 2-Day: Addis Ababa city tour & Debre Libanos with Lunch: $265
- 2-Night 3-Day Danakil Depression Tour without Flights: $300
- 3-Day Addis Ababa — Monastery, Gorge & Crater Lake Tour: $1,650
- 3-Day Awash National Park Wildlife & Hot Springs Tour: $730
- 3-Day Coffee Farm & Local Culture Experience in Yirgalem: $288
- 3-Day Lalibela Rock-hewn churches and Addis Ababa City Tour.: $890
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaco
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Jaco's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Dance Class$11
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Surf Lesson$55
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Bike Rental$11
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Tortuga Island Tour$109
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Massage$49
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 HRS Buggy Tour + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach and Los Suenos: $212
- 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure Jaco: $85
- 2 Hour ATV Tour and 2 Hour Zipline Experience in Jaco: $129
- 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure: $105
- 3-Hour Private Guided Experience of 7 Course Contemporary Indian Tasting Menu: $225
- 4 hour ATV Adventure + Beach and Waterfalls near Los Suenos: $125
- 5 Hour Off-Road ATV+ Zipline+ Waterfall Rappelling+ Tractor Jungle Tour: $160
- 8 Hour Experience in Corcovado National Park: $200
- ATV River, Beach, Jungle Adventure and Crocodiles Hotspot from San Jose: $78
- ATV Tour in Jaco: $90
- ATV Tour in Jaco Beach, enjoy Jungle, River, and Beach - No large groups: $68
- ATV adventure 2hrs and Waterfall in Jacó: $89
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $2.38Jaco $36
Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:
- Pastry, Chocolate, and Wine Tour with Pickup: $60
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jaco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Jaco:
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Wine$16
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Night at the Bar$30
Sample the Local Flavors in Jaco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Jaco:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown Jaco: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Jaco, we can see that Jaco 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 Jaco is in Central 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 Jaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jaco 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 Jaco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Jaco?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 680 times larger than the population of Jaco. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Jaco, 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.