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

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Kathmandu?

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

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

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.

Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the capital and largest city in the country of Nepal. Its metropolitan area forms one large urban area that includes the area of Patan to the south. As of 2011 there were 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu metropolis and over 3 million in the entire metropolitan area. Kathmandu is likely to be your entry point into Nepal and is a great place to pick up supplies and arrange the details for any treks you hope to do. Many travelers rush through Kathmandu, turned off by the pollution and crowds, but to skip Kathmandu is to miss a major cultural, financial, and influential part of what defines the country of Nepal. The city itself is quite fun to explore if you allow it enough time and an open mind.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal.


Which place is cheaper, Kathmandu 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.

  • Addis Ababa Prices
    Ethiopia Prices
    Kathmandu Prices
    Nepal Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Addis Ababa $38
    Kathmandu $56

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $38, while the average daily cost in Kathmandu is $56. 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 Kathmandu in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $21
    Kathmandu $40
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $42
    Kathmandu $80
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Kathmandu

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Kathmandu? 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 Kathmandu


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 Kathmandu Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.72
    Kathmandu $6.90
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $20
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $22
  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
  • City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $26
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $33
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • Addis Ababa Private Airport-Hotel Transfer: $82
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:

  • Lukla Flight Ticket with Sharing Transfer Service: $309
  • Kathmandu to Lumbini or Sunauli Border Transfer by Luxury Private Vehicle: $300
  • Lukla Flight Ticket with Sharing Transfer Service : $270
  • One-Way Private Transfer From Kathmandu to Pokhara: $250
  • 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers: $196
  • Private Transfer to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $170
  • Private Transfer to Ramechhap and Manthali By Car,: $151
  • From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $147
  • Private Car Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara or To Chitwan or To Lumbini & V V: $145
  • One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
  • Private Day Hike from Nagarkot to Changu Narayan with Transfer: $130
  • Kathmandu to Pokhara transfer by private air conditioned car: $110

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Kathmandu?

Prices for flights to both Kathmandu 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 $14
    Kathmandu $8.24
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.06

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:

  • Dinner Cultural shows and best Nightlife : $21
  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Mom's cooking class: $60
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $70
  • City Tour, Food Tour, Shopping Mercato Market : $72
  • Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $76
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $86
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $95
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $100
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: $108
  • Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116

Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu

Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:


  • Dessert
    $1.34
  • Dinner for Two
    $2.98

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu

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

  • Nepali Dinner and cultural dance Show: $5.00
  • Nepali Cooking Class with Momo Making & Pickup: $5.02
  • Nepali Cooking Class & Momo Making with Pickup: $5.41
  • Nepali Cooking Class and Momo Making Workshop: $6.00
  • Dinner with Cultural Show Kathmandu : $14
  • Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $18
  • Cooking Class in Nepal: $25
  • Momo, Dhalbhat & Thukpa Cooking Class, Nepal: $25
  • Private Half -Day Cooking Class with Meals: $26
  • Private Nepali Cooking Class (Dal Bhat and MoMo): $27
  • Local Women Lead Nepali Cooking Class: $30
  • Half day cooking class in Thamel kathmandu: $31

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.84
    Kathmandu $7.98

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

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

  • Addis Ababa City Tour: $46
  • Layover Tour with National Museum & Mercato: $48
  • Addis Ababa city tour.: $49
  • Pup crawl and nightlife tour in Addis Ababa.: $50
  • Best of Addis Ababa City Tour: $53
  • Guided City Tour: $54
  • Guided Walking Tour with National Museum: $55
  • Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $59
  • City Highlights and Market Tour: $60
  • Half Day City Tour of Addis Ababa : $60
  • Addis Ababa city Tour: $60
  • Addis Ababa City Tour: $60

Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:


  • Monkey Temple for Two
    $1.49
  • Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two
    $3.73
  • Swayambhunath Stupa
    $1.49

Tours and Activities in Kathmandu

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:

  • 4-Hour Private Car Sunrise tour over Mount Everest in Nagarkot: $129
  • Chandragiri Hills Private Tour: $25
  • Discover Kathmandu Valley: A Day Tour Through Time and Tradition: $96
  • Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
  • One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $116
  • Private Full Day Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Square Sightseeing from Kathmandu: $145
  • 1 Day Cycle Tour in Kathmandu: $386
  • 1 Day Gay Tour Nepal: $270
  • 1 Day Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour: $70
  • 1 Day Rock Climbing Tour near Kathmandu Valley: $190
  • 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $155
  • 1 Night 2Days Nagarkot Tour: $100

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $3.18
    Kathmandu $5.73

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
  • Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $65
  • Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $69

Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu

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

  • Nightlife and Pub Crawl Tour: $21
  • Local Food and Wine Tasting in Kathmandu : $65


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


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Kathmandu?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 91% larger than the population of Kathmandu. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Kathmandu, 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.