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

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Wellington?

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

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

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.

Wellington

Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Wellington 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $36, while the average daily cost in Wellington is $119. 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 Wellington in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $19
    Wellington $57
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $38
    Wellington $114
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Wellington

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Wellington? 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 Wellington


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 Wellington Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.47
    Wellington $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.23

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
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $35
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $36
  • City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $35
  • Addis Ababa Private Airport-Hotel Transfer: $82
  • Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $15
  • Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $16
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
  • Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington

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

  • Private Transfer from Wellington Port to Wellington Airport (WLG): $93
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $93
  • Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $93
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $93
  • Wellington Transfer: Airport(WLG)to/from City Center: $90
  • Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $73
  • Airport Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $70
  • Guided Transfers & Tour: $57
  • Wētā Workshop Experience + Guided Transfers: $56
  • Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $40

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Wellington?

Prices for flights to both Wellington 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 $13
    Wellington $48
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:

  • 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
  • Ethiopian cooking class: $68
  • Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $80
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $82
  • Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $90
  • Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
  • Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95
  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $100
  • Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $120

Typical Food Prices in Wellington

For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dinner
    $8.48

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington

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

  • 3 Hour Walking Food Tour: $122
  • Capital Bites, A food tour of Wellington: $131
  • A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $178

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $3.58
    Wellington $15

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 : $100
  • Go where thelocalsgo, Eatwhat the localseat!open MarketTour&More: $68
  • "Awash National Park Safari Experience": $280
  • 1 Day Addis Ababa City Tour: $180
  • 1-Day Tour Historical Monastery,Panoramic Views Wildlife,Birds, : $149
  • 2 Day Lalibela Tours: $300
  • 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $311
  • 2 Days Private Tour in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: $151
  • 3 Day Private Meskel Festival, Addis Ababa City and Debre Libanos Monastery Tour: $300
  • 3 Days Meskel Festival Package-Addis Ababa City Tour/Debre Libanos Monastery: $256
  • 3 Days Trekking Simien Mountains Tours: $240
  • 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $65

Tours and Activities in Wellington

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

  • 5 hour Wellington City Heights Shared tour: $87
  • Axe Throwing Lesson and Tournament: $26
  • Discover Wellington 3 hour City Tour : $52
  • Easy Rider Two-Hour Wellington eBike Tour: $67
  • Filming locations of Lord of The Rings Tour with Guide: $168
  • From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour: $113
  • From Half-Day Foodie Tour of the Wairarapa: $100
  • From Kapiti Island Classic Guided Day Tour: $282
  • From Remutaka Rail Trail eBike Tour: $119
  • Full Day Guided Wellington Tour : $145
  • Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour: $171
  • Full Day Tour of Wellington: $171

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $2.96
    Wellington $12

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 Wellington

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

  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $89
  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $91
  • Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $162
  • From Martinborough Wine Tasting Tour: $164
  • Full Day Martinborough Wine Tour: $168
  • Private Martinborough Chefs Wine Tour with lunch from Wellington: $290
  • Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $382


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


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Wellington?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Wellington, 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.