What budget do you need for your Ethiopia trip? During my recent Ethiopia backpacking trip, I kept track of all expenses. Compared to Egypt and Sudan, in Ethiopia my travel expenses per day were definitely higher, but it was still quite affordable! Most of my costs were related to amazing and unforgettable experiences such as a four-day Danakil Depression tour and a 3-day Simien mountains tour. So, how much does it cost to backpack Ethiopia? Find out below!
This article is part of the Money Matters series in which travelers keep their travel costs and expenses for Bunch of Backpackers. Real travelers, real expenses.
How much does it cost to backpack Ethiopia?
Total costs 22-day Ethiopia backpacking trip: 1039 USD
Daily travel expenses Ethiopia*: 47 USD per day
*These daily travel expenses are per one person per day. Including all tours, souvenirs, lodging, food, drinks, transportation, entrance fees, tips etc. Excluding international flights.
EXAMPLES OF PRICES IN ETHIOPIA
These prices are per person unless stated otherwise.
Standard Ethiopia travel expenses
- A double room in a guesthouse: 350 birr (12,7 USD)
- A short 10-minute taxi ride: 20 birr (0.72 USD)
- A bottle of water (2L) at the store: 15 birr (0,54 USD)
- Lunch in a restaurant: 70 birr (2,5 USD)
- Dinner at a local restaurant: 100 birr (3,6 USD)
Notable Ethiopia travel expenses
- Four-day tour Danakil Depression: 300 USD
- Three-day Simien mountain tour: 150 USD
- Bus Sudanese border to Gonder: 200 birr (7.25 USD)
- Coke: 10 birr (0.36 USD)
- Entrance church Gonder: 100 birr (3,6 USD)
- Entrance fee encloser Gonder: 200 birr (7,25 USD)
- Big bus Gonder to Gashena: 200 birr (7,25 USD)
- Entrance fee Lalibela: 1370 birr (50 USD)
- Egg sandwich: 40 birr (1,45 USD)
- Entrance stelae Aksum: 100 birr (3,6 USD)
- Private car Aksum to Debark: 40 USD
- One day tour Bahir Dar including monastery visit and Blue Nile Falls: 400 birr (14 USD)
- Taxi ride from Piazza to Mekal square: 90 birr (3,6 USD)
- Entra Addis Abeba Museum: 50 birr (1,8 USD)
- Bus ride within Addis Abeba: 5 bir (0.18 USD)
- Bus ride van Sheromede to Entoto: 15 birr (0.54 USD)
- Entrance National Museum: 10 birr (0.36 USD)
ABOUT THIS BACKPACKING TRIP
About the backpacker: Manouk, the Netherlands, 32 years
Destination and travel period: Ethiopia in January 2018 for 22 days
Visited places: Gonder, Lalibela, Mekele/Danakil Depression, Aksum, Debark/Simien, Bahir Dar, Addis Abeba
Type of trip: Solo, independently
Accommodation*: budget (mainly hostels and guesthouses)
Transportation*: budget/luxury (mostly public transportations, but also taxi’s/private cars)
Food*: budget (local restaurants)
Currency rate September 2018: 1 euro = 33 Ethiopian Birr
*4 options: basic, budget, standard and luxury
–> Like this article :)? Don’t forget to book your Ethiopia accommodation through Hostelworld.com or Booking.com! Booking through these links won’t cost you anything extra, but it will get me a small commission to keep this website up and running (and ad free)! ~ Thanks! Manouk
ETHIOPIA BUDGET TIPS
- If you have one, bring your student card!
- Bargain for your accommodation and sometimes for public transportation
- Preferably arrange tours on the spot, they won’t be sold out. Don’t book Simien or Danakil from Addis or outside the country. Find tips on booking your Danakil Depression tour here!
- Team up! It can be necessary to hire a private car to get to certain places. Obviously, it’s better to share these costs!
- Religious festivals are free! By coincidence I in Ethiopia during the spectacular Timkat festival and I also visited (also coincidence) another amazing festival in Entoto.
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Ethiopië lijkt me een fantastische reisbestemming om te fotograferen, dus zodoende kwam ik even langs klikken. De kosten vallen me alles mee! Maar wat ik eigenlijk vooral wilde zeggen: wat een super vette header foto!!
Ahh thanks Yvonne :) Het is inderdaad een heel fotogeniek land! En qua kosten is het goed te doen :)
Manouk, thanks so much for this. I would like to make a solo trip to Ethiopia over roughly the same timeframe as you did…. do you perhaps have an itinerary of your trip that I could use for ideas? If so, that ould be much appreciated!