Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Queenstown, 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 Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Addis Ababa Prices
Ethiopia PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $28Queenstown $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $28, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $131. 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $15Queenstown $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $30Queenstown $112
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $2.75Queenstown $10
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:
- Airport Pickup and transfer: $18
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport: $23
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
- Bole Airport Transfer: $25
- Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $29
- City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $35
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $39
- Cultural Show and Jazz Night with Transfers: $44
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
- Private Addis Ababa Airport Transfer: $55
- Customizable Layover Tour with Transfers: $55
- Photography Tour with Guide & Transfer: $62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $1,016
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $901
- Queenstown/Wanaka Airport Transfer: $210
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $177
- Private Transfer from Queenstown Central to Wanaka: $177
- From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $165
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $78
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Private Queenstown Airport to Hotel Transfers: $73
- QUEENSTOWN Best Private Airport Transfer:1 Way from/to Hotel: $51
- Queenstown International Airport To and From City Center Transfer: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $11Queenstown $62
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
- Berbere Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $49
- 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
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
- Addis Ababa Cooking, Coffee & Traditional Drink Tasting: $65
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $113
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!: $150
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $294
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $2.84Queenstown $22
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Addis Ababa City Tour & Coffee Ceremony with Shopping areas: $18
- National Museum Guided Tour with Lucy Fossil: $28
- Guided Walking Tour with Coffee & Food: $28
- Guided City Tour with Coffee Break & Entry fee: $30
- Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Tour: $30
- Kebena to Entoto Green Corridor Discovery Tour: $30
- Mercato Market Guided Tour with Hotel Pickup: $32
- Premium Addis Ababa Piassa Walking Tour with Coffee Ceremony: $32
- Best Addis Ababa Half-Day Tour: $32
- Red Terror Memorial Storytelling Experience: $35
- Flexible City tour Museum's,other layover vist: $35
- Coffee Ceremony & Traditional Clothing Tour: $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$30
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- 25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $186
- 30-Minute Jet Boat Adventure Queenstown with Music: $65
- 5 Day South Island New Zealand Private Tour from Queenstown: $2,767
- Arrowtown & Queenstown Kiwi Special Tour, Local discovery tour.: $59
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Bike Tour with Shuttle: $69
- Boutique Winery Half-Day Tour & Vineyard Platter-Style Lunch: $158
- Coach Farm Tour and Milford Sound Nature Cruise from Queenstown: $233
- Coronet Peak Snow Sightseeing Tour: $203
- Coronet Peak Snow Touch Experience from Queenstown: $60
- Cromwell: Lake Dunstan Discovery Day Tour by eBike with Shuttle: $114
- Cruise Milford Small Group Day Tour from Queenstown: $222
- Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience: $196
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $2.35Queenstown $8.96
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Marlborough Wine Tour: Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Guide: $24
- Gibbston Valley Wine Tour: Self-Guided Drive or Bike Audio Guide: $30
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Bike & Wine Tour: Arrowtown to Valley of the Vines: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
- Classic Wine Tour: $135
- Arrowtown Wine Tour: $141
- Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings: $150
- Queenstown 6 hour Boutique Wine Tour: 4 Wineries & Lunch: $151
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Queenstown?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Queenstown, 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.