Which place is cheaper, Kathmandu or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $67Kathmandu $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $67, while the average daily cost in Kathmandu is $57. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $43Kathmandu $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $86Kathmandu $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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $7.78Kathmandu $6.95
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$0.52
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: $19
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $22
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $110
- 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:
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Taxi Ride$1.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Transfers: $1,999
- Kathmandu to Lumbini or Sunauli Border Transfer by Luxury Private Vehicle: $300
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara Hotels: $244
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Chitwan Hotels: $210
- 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers: $194
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Transfer by Luxury Private Car: $180
- Everest Mountain Flight with Private Transfers: $164
- From Bungee Jump over Bhotekosi River & Transfer: $160
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $148
- One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
- Kathmandu - Pokhara Private Transfer by Car/Jeep/Minibus: $120
- Pokhara: One way transfer To or From Kathmandu: $117
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
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Food Meals for one dayAddis Ababa $17Kathmandu $8.30
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$0.12
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
- Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $70
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $75
- Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $120
- Private Ethiopian Home Cooking Class in Addis Ababa with Transfer: $124
- HALF DAY + DINNER Addis Ababa City Tour: $140
- Half Day + Dinner Addis Ababa City Tour: $150
- Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis with transfers: $154
- Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Coffee Ceremony at a Home in Addis Ababa: $168
- Cooking Class and City Tour in Addis Ababa: $193
- Food Tour in Addis Ababa: $205
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert$1.35
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Dinner for Two$3.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Half-Day Nepali Cooking Class & Momo Making: $7.50
- Momo Making & Cooking class in Thamel with Pickup: $8.57
- Half Day cooking class in Kathmandu by Local Chefs & Pickup: $9.35
- Best Half day cooking class in Thamel Kathmandu with Pickup: $10
- Dinner with Cultural Show Kathmandu : $12
- Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $17
- Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel, Kathmandu with Pickup: $19
- Cooking Class in Thamel Kathmandu by Local Chef with pickup: $22
- Nepali cooking class and Homestay experience : $22
- Half Day Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Visit: $23
- Food Tour In Kathmandu With Walking Local Market: $23
- Momo, Dhalbhat & Thukpa Cooking Class, Nepal: $25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $8.03Kathmandu $8.03
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Addis ababa:Highlight tour with tasting coffee and our Food.: $52
- Addis Ababa Tour: $53
- Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
- Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $56
- Addis Ababa highlights of the city tour: $59
- Addis Food Tasting Tour : $59
- Guided City Tour / Addis Ababa Guided City Tour: $59
- Half Day City Tour of Addis Ababa : $60
- Addis Abeba's Market and Shopping Tour: $60
- Addis Ababa city Tour: $60
- Addis Ababa Guided City Tours: $62
- Addis Ababa Guided City Tour With Airport & Hotel Pick Up: $63
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Monkey Temple for Two$1.50
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.76
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Swayambhunath Stupa$1.50
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- 4 Days Kathmandu Nagarkot Tour : $235
- Day tour Namo Buddha : $90
- Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
- Manakamana Darshan- Day Tour: $199
- One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $110
- 1 Day Cycling Tour in Kathmandu: $312
- 1 Day Everest base camp helicopter tour: $2,143
- 1 Day Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour: $70
- 1 Day Rock Climbing Tour near Kathmandu Valley: $190
- 1 Day Volunteer Tour at Orphanage in Kathmandu: $273
- 1 Night 2 Days Daman Tour: $215
- 1 day Kathmandu World Heritage guided tour group join : $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $6.63Kathmandu $5.77
Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:
- Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $55
- Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
- The Pub Crawl Royale: A Battle of the Best Drinks: $65
- Locally crafted beer and wine tasting and nightlife in Addis tour: $65
- Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $69
Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kathmandu:
- Explore 4 Heritage Private Tour with Wine Tasting: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Kathmandu, we can see that Addis Ababa is more expensive. And not only is Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kathmandu 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 Addis Ababa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Addis Ababa than you might in Kathmandu.
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.
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.