Which place is cheaper, Reykjavik or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Addis Ababa or Reykjavik?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Reykjavik, 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 Reykjavik?
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.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the capital and largest city in the country of Iceland. The city is where the vast majority of the country's population resides and the urban area has about 200,000 residents. The city is sprawling, with a large area covered in suburbs. The the city center is quite compact, with many interesting and colorful houses. There are a lot of things that attract tourists to this city, including an interesting culture and history as well as plenty of shopping and dining opportunities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Iceland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Iceland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $67Reykjavik $246
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $67, while the average daily cost in Reykjavik is $246. 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 Reykjavik in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $43Reykjavik $139
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $86Reykjavik $278
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Reykjavik
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Reykjavik? 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 Reykjavik Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $7.78Reykjavik $46
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:
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $110
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $22
- Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Reykjavik
Also for Reykjavik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Reykjavík: South Coast Guided Day Trip by Jeep with Transfer: $1,776
- Private 7-hour Airport/Cruise Transfer & Tour: $1,183
- From Reykjavik Port: Private Blue Lagoon Transfer: $1,050
- Blue Lagoon with Private Roundtrip Transfer: $476
- Door to Door Private Blue Lagoon Transfer: $308
- From ATV Ride and Blue Lagoon Tour with Transfer: $288
- Lava Tunnel Caving & Snorkeling in Silfra with Transfer | Free Photos: $283
- Lava Tunnel Caving with Transfer | Small Group: $283
- Private Luxury Airport Transfer Service: $280
- Private transfer: Reykjavik to Keflavik International Airport (KEF): $277
- Private Airport Transfer from Reykjavik: $270
- Blue Lagoon Admission Ticket Including Transfer: $268
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Reykjavik?
Prices for flights to both Reykjavik 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 $17Reykjavik $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 Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner (Fish Market)$178
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Exclusive dinner with a local family - Visit a Reykjavík home: $98
- Icelandic Food Tour: $124
- The Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour: $128
- 3 Hour Shared Christmas Food Tour with Guide in Reykjavik: $129
- Reykjavik Market & Lunch Food Tour - BitesizedIceland.com: $142
- Reykjavik Old Harbor Food Tour - BitesizedIceland.com: $145
- Private Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour: $209
- Icelandic Cooking Class in Downtown Reykjavik with Musical Hosts: $296
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $8.03Reykjavik $72
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Addis Ababa City Tours Full-Day Tours : $113
- 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $311
- 3 Days Visiting Harar and Dire Dawa Tours: $480
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $69
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa highlights city tour from Bole airport: $75
- 5 Days Visiting Tigray Churches Tours: $1,200
- 9 Days Omo Valley and Danakil Danakil Depression tour: $3,875
- A guided tour of Addis Abeba that includes a city viewpoint: $65
- Addis Ababa - Half Day City Tour: $180
- Addis Ababa Authentic Private City Tour: $75
- Addis Ababa Bole Airport Culinary and Walking Tour : $69
- Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
Typical Entertainment Prices in Reykjavik
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Reykjavik's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Art Museum$11
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Wine and Spa$29
Tours and Activities in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- #1 Northern Lights Tour In Iceland from Reykjavik with PRO photos: $145
- 1 hour Reykjavík E Scooter Adventure: $66
- 1 hour Reykjavík E-Scooter Adventure: $64
- 1-Hour ATV Quad Tour from Reykjavik: $131
- 1-Hour Helicopter Tour in Iceland: The Geothermal Tour: $438
- 1hr ATV & Golden Circle Adventure from Reykjavik: $276
- 1hr Buggy Adventure & Whale Watching from Reykjavik: $289
- 1hr Buggy Adventure from Reykjavik: $172
- 2-Hour RIB Boat Whale Watching Tour from Reykjavik: $169
- 2hr Buggy 'Lava Field Adventure' from Reykjavik: $219
- 3-Hour Private Discover Reykjavik Photography Tour: $172
- 3hr Volcanic Springs ATV Adventure from Reykjavik: $299
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $6.63Reykjavik $28
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Reykjavik
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Reykjavik are as follows:
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Beer$8.79
Sample the Local Flavors in Reykjavik
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Reykjavik:
- Gin Distillery tour and tasting: $25
- Eimverk Distillery Tour with Tasting: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Reykjavik, we can see that Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Reykjavik?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Reykjavik. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Reykjavik, 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.