Which place is cheaper, Sao Paulo or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Brazil, and The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $67Sao Paulo $53
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $67, while the average daily cost in Sao Paulo is $53. 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 $43Sao Paulo $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $86Sao 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 $7.78Sao Paulo $5.96
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:
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $110
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $22
- Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
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 Congonhas Airport (CGH) to Santos Port: $235
- Private São Paulo Airport - Hotels Transfer In or Out : $200
- Private Transfer from Gru Airport to Port or City of Santos (1 to 15 people): $199
- Departure private transfer from São Paulo city to Guarulhos Airport by minibus: $197
- Private Transfer from VCP Airport or Campinas to GRU Airport (1 a 15 pessoas): $195
- Sao Paulo Airport (GRU) to Downtown - Arrival Private Transfer: $181
- Downtown to Sao Paulo Airport (GRU) - Departure Private Transfer: $181
- Sao Paulo Airport to Beach Resorts - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $176
- Private Transfer from Campinas Airport to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $170
- Private Transfer from Campinas-Viracopos (VCP) Airport to Sao Paulo Airport: $170
- Private Transfer from Sao Paulo City to Campinas Airport (VCP): $168
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 $17Sao Paulo $15
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
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:
- Private Traditional Brazilian or Paulistano Cooking Class with a Chef: $130
- Authentic Brazilian Cooking Experience in SP: Feijoada & Moqueca: $189
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $8.03Sao Paulo $4.08
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
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
- 3 Beaches Hiking Santo Amaro Island - Paradise Route Tour from São Paulo: $125
- 3H CITY TOUR (pick up / delivery within Sao Paulo city limits): $151
- 4-Hour Private Tour in Sao Paulo: $300
- 4-hour Sum-up Private Tour Of São Paulo Including Its Major Attractions : $134
- 4WD One Day Tour visiting Water Fall and the Big Stone from Sao Paulo: $260
- 5 Hour City Tour in São Paulo: $91
- 5-hour Pelé Private Tour: The King of Football : $162
- 5-hour Private Street Art Tour Of São Paulo – The Coolest Urban Art Scenes: $174
- 5-hour Private Tour Of São Paulo With Its Main Sights – Optional Airport Pickup: $162
- 5-hour private tour in São Paulo (departures from hotels and airport): $155
- 5h City Tour (pick up & delivery within SaoPaulo city): $249
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $6.63Sao Paulo $3.55
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 Sao Paulo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:
- São Paulo Nightlife: Pub Crawl in the City that Never Sleeps!: $49
- Half Day Private Wine Tour from São Roque: $54
- Wine Tour in São Roque by car - tour with local guides: $98
- 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Sao Paulo, we can see that Addis Ababa is more expensive. And not only is Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo.
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.