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

Should you visit Ankara or Addis Ababa?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Addis Ababa. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Ankara or Addis Ababa?

Ankara

Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.

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 Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.


Which place is cheaper, Addis Ababa or Ankara?

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 Ankara is $110, while the average daily cost in Addis Ababa is $32. 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 Ankara and Addis Ababa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ankara $45
    Addis Ababa $17
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ankara $90
    Addis Ababa $34
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Addis Ababa

Looking for a hotel in Ankara 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 Ankara


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: Ankara Hotel Prices and Addis Ababa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ankara $29
    Addis Ababa $3.10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.03
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:

  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
  • Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $114
  • Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $114
  • Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
  • Turkey Ankara Airport Private VIP Transfer Service ESB: $68
  • Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $54
  • Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $54
  • Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $50
  • Ankara Airport & Hotel Transfers : $48
  • Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $46

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:

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Addis Ababa?

Prices for flights to both Addis Ababa and Ankara 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
    Ankara $44
    Addis Ababa $12
Typical Food Prices in Ankara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:


  • A Quick Lunch
    $0.28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.

  • Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family: $49
  • Baklava Cooking Class: $61

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ankara $27
    Addis Ababa $3.20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara

Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Underground City
    $0.19

Tours and Activities in Ankara

Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $36
  • Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $239
  • 6-Hour Private Tour with Guide, Car, and Lunch: $175
  • Private Guided Walking Tour: $35
  • Private Walking Tour with a Local: $41
  • Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $66
  • Full Day Cappadocia Private Tour: $300
  • Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $249
  • Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
  • Private Ankara Sightseeing Tour: $235

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

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

  • Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Tour: $30
  • 5 hours Addis Ababa Layover city tour: $36
  • Layover in Addis Ababa 5 hours tour: $38
  • Mercato Market & National museum Guided Tour with Coffee Tasting: $40
  • Sightseeing Walking Tour: $40
  • Open-bus Tour and Cycling: $41
  • Local Food Open Market, City Tours & More.: $42
  • 4 Hours Addis Ababa Cultural Discovery Tour: $42
  • Merkato Addis Ababa Guided Tour: $42
  • Mercato Market Guided Tour with Coffee Tasting: $43
  • Entoto hill and Mercato Market layover tour: $45
  • Layover in Addis: Tailored Tours for Transit Passengers: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ankara $12
    Addis Ababa $2.64

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 Ankara and Addis Ababa, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara 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 Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara 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 Ankara Expensive? and Is Addis Ababa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ankara or Addis Ababa?

Ankara has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Addis Ababa. When comparing the sizes of Ankara 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.

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