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

Should you visit Santorini or Addis Ababa?

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

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

Santorini

Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.

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.

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


Which place is cheaper, Addis Ababa or Santorini?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Santorini Prices
    Greece Prices
    Addis Ababa Prices
    Ethiopia Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Santorini 250
    Addis Ababa 27

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, while the average daily cost in Addis Ababa is €27. 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 Santorini and Addis Ababa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini 118
    Addis Ababa 15
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini 236
    Addis Ababa 30
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Addis Ababa

Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Addis Ababa? 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 Santorini


Hotels in Addis Ababa


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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Addis Ababa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini 35
    Addis Ababa 2.63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

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

  • Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini: $6,138
  • Private Transfers from/to Santorini Port (Athinios) to/from Oia: $108

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    0.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

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

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Addis Ababa?

Prices for flights to both Addis Ababa and Santorini 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
    Santorini 96
    Addis Ababa 10

Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

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


  • 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:

  • 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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini 35
    Addis Ababa 2.71

Tours and Activities in Santorini

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.

  • Ferry Tickets between Santorini and Crete Heraklion: $121

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini 25
    Addis Ababa 2.24

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

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

  • Private Wine Tour in Santorini - Greece: $205

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


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Addis Ababa, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santorini is in Europe and Addis Ababa is in Africa, 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini 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 Santorini Expensive? and Is Addis Ababa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Santorini or Addis Ababa?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Santorini. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Addis Ababa, 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.