A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Addis Ababa vs. Thessaloniki for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Thessaloniki?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Thessaloniki, 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 Thessaloniki?

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.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and serves as the capital city of the Central Macedonia region. It also has a rich history dating back more than 3,000 years. As a visitor, you'll find that the city has been touched by the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, all of which left their mark. In particular, the many Byzantine churches are quite impressive, with some of them listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Greece, and The Best Contiki Tours to Greece.


Which place is cheaper, Thessaloniki 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.

  • Addis Ababa Prices
    Ethiopia Prices
    Thessaloniki Prices
    Greece Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Addis Ababa $32
    Thessaloniki $193

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $32, while the average daily cost in Thessaloniki is $193. 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 Thessaloniki in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $17
    Thessaloniki $93
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $34
    Thessaloniki $186
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Thessaloniki

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Thessaloniki? 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.

Hotels in Addis Ababa


Hotels in Thessaloniki


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 Thessaloniki Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.10
    Thessaloniki $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.21

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: $154
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $40
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
  • Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $23
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • 4 Hours Addis Airport Transfer with Ethiopian Cultural Tour: $299
  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Thessaloniki

Also for Thessaloniki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Athens to/from Thessaloniki : Private Transfer: $1,006
  • From Private Day Trip to Meteora with Transfer: $493
  • Thessaloniki Airport Private Transfer Service: $35
  • Bus Transfer to/from Kavala: $25

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Thessaloniki?

Prices for flights to both Thessaloniki 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Addis Ababa $12
    Thessaloniki $85
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.05

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:

  • Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $54
  • Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
  • Flavors of Ethiopia Explore Traditional Cooking Class : $67
  • Addis Ababa Ethiopian cooking class Airport & hotel pick up: $68
  • 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
  • Nightlife Tour with Dinner and Live Music: $99

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Thessaloniki

For Thessaloniki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Open Market Food Tour with Tasting: $53
  • Cooking & Dining Experience with Greek Family: $69
  • Guided Food Tour: $76
  • Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour With A Local: $93
  • Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $94
  • Kavala Food Tour and Cooking Workshop: $95
  • Get a Taste of Thessaloniki - Food Tour & Lunch: $103
  • Greek Cooking Class, Market Visit and Lunch: $104
  • Guided Walking and Food Tour with Drinks: $117
  • Thessaloniki Food Tour with a Local Chef: $129
  • Cooking & Wine Tasting with Dockside Views: $141
  • Cooking classes for Foodies, Discover Greek cuisine.: $158

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.20
    Thessaloniki $31

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 Tour Old Bridge, Monastery,WaterFalls Wildlife,Birds, : $128
  • 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $315
  • 2 Days Gheralta Tour Hidden Churches in Northern Ethiopia: $300
  • 2-Night 3-Day Danakil Depression Tour without Flights: $300
  • 3 Days Meskel Festival Package-Addis Ababa City Tour/Debre Libanos Monastery: $256
  • 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

Tours and Activities in Thessaloniki

For Thessaloniki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Ancient Pella Tour: In the Footsteps of Alexander: $135
  • Best of Thessaloníki: Private Walking Tour with a Local: $92
  • Best of Private Guided Tour: $188
  • Discover Olympus from Paralia in Jeep Safari Shared Tour: $113
  • Explore Kavala City with Eco Friendly Tuk Tuk Tour: $72
  • From City Tour and Archaelogical Museum: $47
  • From Guided Tour of The Land of Aristoteles: $70
  • From Halkidiki Blue Lagoon Pirate Boat Cruise: $75
  • From Sithonia Beaches and Scenic Villages Tour: $100
  • Kavala Fun Day Private Outdoor Experience: $167
  • Kavala: The Sacred Path of Apostle Paul Private Tour: $167
  • Meteora: 2-Days Train Tour from Thessaloniki - Local Agency: $197

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $2.64
    Thessaloniki $17

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 Thessaloniki

Also in Thessaloniki, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • From Pella-Edessa-Naousa wine tasting: $76
  • Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $89
  • Wine Tasting & Farm tour in Thessaloniki: $95
  • Winery Visit with Wine Tasting Experience: $111
  • Northern Greece Wine Tasting Tour in Kavala: $155
  • Small Group Kavala Tour: Pangaion Mountain & Wine Tasting: $274


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Thessaloniki, we can see that Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Thessaloniki?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Thessaloniki. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Thessaloniki, 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.