Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Rio de Janeiro, 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 Rio de Janeiro?
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.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.
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Addis Ababa Prices
Ethiopia PricesRio de Janeiro Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $29Rio de Janeiro $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $29, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $121. 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 Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $16Rio de Janeiro $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $32Rio de Janeiro $134
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $2.80Rio de Janeiro $8.03
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:
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
- Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $29
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
- Addis Ababa Layover Tour: Mercato Market & Airport Transfer: $77
- Airport Pickup and transfer: $18
- Cultural Show and Jazz Night with Transfers: $44
- Customizable Layover Tour with Transfers: $55
- Golf Club Experience with Hotel Transfer: $100
- Photography Tour with Guide & Transfer: $62
- Private Tour with Local Guide and Transfers: $65
- Bole International Airport to Addis Ababa Private Transfer: $30
- City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $35
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Executive Transfer in Rio de Janeiro Angra Paraty and Mangaratiba: $296
- Private Bilingual Transfer Rio de Janeiro x Paraty: $296
- TRANSFER 4 Passengers: Búzios/Angra dos Reis/Arraial do Cabo/Cabo Frio.: $270
- Sugarloaf Mountain Sunrise Experience with Breakfast & Transfer: $253
- Private Transfer | Round Trip: $250
- Rio Art Museum | Round Trip Transfer + 2 Tickets: $250
- Museum of Tomorrow - | Round Trip Transfer + 2 Tickets: $250
- Transfer service from / to Rio de Janeiro / Paraty: $239
- Private transfer from Rio de Janeiro x Angra dos Reis (4 max): $236
- Arrival Private Transfer from Rio GIG or SDU Airport to Paraty: $232
- TRANSFER ISLAND GRANDE Ground Transportation + Fast Boat: $225
- Private transfer Rio de Janeiro x Búzios: $223
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro 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 $11Rio de Janeiro $35
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
- Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $50
- Berbere Bites Food Tour with 14+ 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
- Addis Ababa Food Tour: Eat Like a Local: $70
- Ethiopian Cooking Class with Coffee Ceremony: $70
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.79
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Hamburger$0.98
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Rio: Copacabana Food Tour with 7 Tastings and Local Flavors: $81
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Rio: Iconic Street Foods & Caipirinhas: $85
- Brazilian Churrascaria Guided Dinner in Rio with Wine Pairing: $89
- Rio Roots Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Carioca Kitchens Rio de Janeiro Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
- Rio Historic Downtown and Lapa Street Food Tour Full Meal: $95
- Roxy Show - Brazilian Rhythms with optional Barbecue Dinner: $101
- Folklore show Ginga Tropical with Optional Dinner: $107
- Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $115
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
- Vegan Rio Cooking Class: Hands-On Moqueca & Caipirinhas: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $2.89Rio de Janeiro $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
- Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Tour: $30
- Guided City Tour with Coffee Break & Entry fee: $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
- Flexible City tour Museum's,other layover vist: $35
- Red Terror Memorial Storytelling Experience: $35
- Discover Addis Ababa City Tour: History, Culture & Tradition: $36
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Discovery Tour NO Rio DE Janeiro: $65
- 10-hour Private Tour Rio In One Day: Christ, Sugarloaf, Selarón, Downtown: $229
- 12 Beaches Easy Bike Tour Rio de Janeiro: $77
- 2 Days Tour in City Tour Express and Arraial do Cabo: $200
- 3 Hour Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $45
- 4-Hour Guided Kayak Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $75
- 4-Hour Private Guided Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $95
- 4-hour Sum-up Of Rio de Janeiro "Private Tour" – Optional Airport & Port Pick-up: $149
- 6-Hour Private Guided Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $125
- 6-hour Classic Rio de Janeiro Private Tour – Optional Airport & Port Pick-ups: $169
- 8 Hour Private Tour by Car in Rio de Janeiro: $266
- 8-Hour Private Guided Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $134
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $2.38Rio de Janeiro $12
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 Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Lapa by Night: Samba, Cachaça & The Ultimate Rio Pub Crawl: $30
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $47
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $123
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro is in South 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 Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Addis Ababa. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Rio de Janeiro, 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.