Which place is cheaper, Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Sao Paulo, 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 Sao Paulo?
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.
Sao Paulo
With a population of around 11 million, and 20 million in the metropolitan area, Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look far to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist. The city is diverse and culturally rich, with excellent food, music, and entertainment.
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 PricesSao Paulo Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $29Sao Paulo $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $29, while the average daily cost in Sao Paulo is $64. 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 Sao Paulo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $16Sao Paulo $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $32Sao Paulo $60
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Sao Paulo
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Sao Paulo? 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 Sao Paulo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $2.82Sao Paulo $6.09
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:
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $152
- Private Addis Ababa Airport Transfer: $55
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $40
- Bole International Airport to Addis Ababa Private Transfer: $30
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
- Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sao Paulo
Also for Sao Paulo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer | Viracopos Airport (VCP) x São Paulo City: $300
- Private Transfer from Sao Paulo Airport (GRU) to Ilhabela Port: $290
- Private Transfer from Ilhabela Port to Sao Paulo Airport (GRU): $290
- Private Transfer from Sao Paulo City Hotels to Ilhabela Port: $290
- Private Transfer: GRU Airport to Santos Port up to 15 People: $289
- Private Transfer from Guarujá to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $277
- Campinas Viracopos Airport (VCP) Sao Paulo - Round-Trip Transfer: $257
- Private Transfer from Congonhas Airport (CGH) to Santos Port: $252
- Sao Paulo Airport to Beach Resorts - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $248
- Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport (GRU) to São Pedro-RoundTrip Transfer: $248
- Transfer from São Paulo to Port of Santos: $241
- Campinas Airport (VCP) to Sao Paulo hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $241
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Sao Paulo?
Prices for flights to both Sao Paulo 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 $11Sao Paulo $26
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:
- Addis Eats Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $54
- Flavors of Ethiopia: Hands-On Cooking Class in Addis Ababa: $55
- Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
- Addis Ababa Ethiopian cooking class Airport & hotel pick up: $68
- Addis Ababa Food Tour: Eat Like a Local: $70
- Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $70
- Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $75
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $76
- Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $77
- Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
- Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sao Paulo
For Sao Paulo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in São Paulo with a Local Guide: $73
- 4h Cooking Class in São Paulo with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $89
- São Suppers Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
- Dinner at Terraço Italia Restaurant in São Paulo: $223
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $2.91Sao Paulo $4.11
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- "Awash National Park Safari Experience": $280
- 1 Day Addis Ababa City Tour: $180
- 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $315
- 2-Night 3-Day Danakil Depression Tour without Flights: $300
- 3 Day Private Meskel Festival, Addis Ababa City and Debre Libanos Monastery Tour: $300
- 3 Days Rock Hewn Churches Cultural Tour in Lalibela: $300
- 3-Day Wild Wonders and Nature, Awash National Park Tour: $490
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $65
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa Cultural Discovery Tour: $42
- 5 hours Addis Ababa Layover city tour: $36
- 8 Hours Tour to Taste the Authentic Flavours of Ethiopia: $200
- A Guided Tour of Addis Ababa That Includes a City Viewpoint: $65
Tours and Activities in Sao Paulo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sao Paulo.
- 2 Hours Private São Paulo Museum of Modern Art Tour: $240
- 4 Hour Private City Tour in Sao Paulo: $163
- 4 Hour Private Tour - São Paulo: $128
- 4-Hour Private Tour in Sao Paulo: $300
- 4-hour Sum-up Private Tour Of São Paulo Including Its Major Attractions: $119
- 5-hour Pelé Private Tour: The King of Football: $175
- 5-hour Private Street Art Tour Of São Paulo – The Coolest Urban Art Scenes: $155
- 5-hour Private Tour Of São Paulo With Its Main Sights – Optional Airport Pickup: $139
- 6 Hour Buddhist Temple and Embu das Artes Tour – Art Galleries, Artisan Shops: $203
- 6-Hour Classic Half-Day Private Tour of São Paulo – Optional Airport Pickup: $175
- 6-Hour Private Layover Tour in São Paulo from GRU & CGH Airports: $179
- 7-hour Private Tour Overview Of São Paulo – Optional For GRU Airport Pickup: $207
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $2.40Sao Paulo $3.58
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Sao Paulo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:
- Pub Crawl in Pinheiros: Explore the Nightlife of São Paulo: $35
- 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $150
- Wine Tour in São Roque by Car, Tour with Local Guides: $181
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Sao Paulo, we can see that Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Addis Ababa. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Sao Paulo, 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.