Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Addis Ababa: $1,287 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Addis Ababa
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Addis Ababa Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,287

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Addis Ababa and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Addis Ababa and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Addis Ababa versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Addis Ababa $1,287
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Addis Ababa versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Addis Ababa $1,891
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,495 in Addis Ababa versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Addis Ababa $2,495
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 52% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 4% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ETB 658

$20.22 $20.22

-79.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.95 ETB 6,901

$85.0 $85.0

-49.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 ETB 1,061

$12.35 $12.35

-46.56%

Cappuccino

$0.89 ETB 142

$5.47 $5.47

-83.73%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ETB 94.2

$3.82 $3.82

-84.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 103

$2.50 $2.50

-74.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 131

$8.06 $8.06

-89.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ETB 372

$8.99 $8.99

-74.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 171

$1.13 $1.13

-5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ETB 188

$3.78 $3.78

-69.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 349

$3.25 $3.25

-33.23%

Eggs

$1.75 ETB 281

$4.14 $4.14

-57.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 ETB 1,181

$13.08 $13.08

-43.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 ETB 1,632

$14.31 $14.31

-29.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 ETB 1,470

$15.96 $15.96

-42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 ETB 853

$4.38 $4.38

21.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 110

$1.45 $1.45

-53.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 347

$4.54 $4.54

-52.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 105

$4.19 $4.19

-84.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.3

$2.63 $2.63

-81.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 167

$2.36 $2.36

-55.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$1.76 $1.76

-60.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.5

$2.16 $2.16

-73.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.83 ETB 1,258

$9.81 $9.81

-20.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 927

$14.72 $14.72

-60.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$2.78 $2.78

-75.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ETB 206

$3.48 $3.48

-63.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ETB 78.1

$1.49 $1.49

-67.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 ETB 3,411

$40.51 $40.51

-47.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ETB 214

$2.67 $2.67

-50.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.19

$1.58 $1.58

-82.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 327

$35.29 $35.29

-94.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 144

$0.99 $0.99

-9.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$55.7K ETB 8.9M

$35.8K $35.8K

55.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$56.7K ETB 9.1M

$27.2K $27.2K

108.58%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 ETB 32.9K

$219 $219

-6.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.20 ETB 1,156

$58.0 $58.0

-87.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$208 ETB 33.5K

$68.4 $68.4

204.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 ETB 7,066

$57.9 $57.9

-24.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.11 ETB 5,803

$14.82 $14.82

143.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ETB 600

$14.13 $14.13

-73.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$137 ETB 22.0K

$1,509 $1,509

-90.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K ETB 4.8M

$21.5K $21.5K

40.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.12 ETB 5,322

$51.7 $51.7

-35.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.5 ETB 11.5K

$44.05 $44.05

62.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 ETB 12.7K

$85.1 $85.1

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 ETB 13.5K

$105 $105

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ETB 111.6K

$1,932 $1,932

-64.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ETB 62.7K

$1,272 $1,272

-69.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 ETB 371.0K

$3,670 $3,670

-37.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 ETB 125.6K

$2,525 $2,525

-69.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ETB 308.2K

$7,617 $7,617

-74.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 ETB 159.2K

$3,199 $3,199

-69.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 ETB 32.9K

$5,105 $5,105

-95.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

6.79

172.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Addis Ababa: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Addis Ababa

$420 32.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 17.7% $74

Accommodation & Living

Addis Ababa

$390 30.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 226% $882

Groceries & Markets

Addis Ababa

$212 16.3%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 90.4% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Addis Ababa

$120 9.3%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 6.9% $8.3

Eating Out

Addis Ababa

$77 5.9%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 353% $271

Sport & Entertainment

Addis Ababa

$51 4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 67.5% $35

Getting Around

Addis Ababa

$26 2%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 121% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Addis Ababa and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2390% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $403 per month, with Addis Ababa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

21:32 9:32 PM

8 h behind Addis Ababa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Addis Ababa Austin, TX 13,640 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Addis Ababa
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Addis Ababa vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Austin, TX differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,704 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2390% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $694 in Addis Ababa versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Addis Ababa versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 91% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Addis Ababa versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.