Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Ethiopia Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Ethiopia

Name: Ethiopia
Address: ET

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Canada vs $776 in Ethiopia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,254 per month in Canada vs $1,155 in Ethiopia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Canada vs $1,534 in Ethiopia, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 186% higher than in Ethiopia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 61% above the global median, while Ethiopia is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 CA$25.35

$3.93 ETB 632

365.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.8

$42.71 ETB 6,865

66.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$6.55 ETB 1,052

67.33%

Cappuccino

$3.95 CA$5.47

$0.87 ETB 139

354.02%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$0.56 ETB 90.6

269.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$0.56 ETB 89.7

210.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.23

$0.83 ETB 134

614.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 CA$7.89

$2.04 ETB 327

178.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$1.08 ETB 173

106.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$0.97 ETB 156

179.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$1.72 ETB 277

116.28%

Eggs

$3.61 CA$5.01

$1.81 ETB 291

99.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.99

$7.55 ETB 1,213

43.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.95

$10.39 ETB 1,671

17.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 CA$21.75

$10.37 ETB 1,667

51.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.89

$4.49 ETB 721

-5.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$0.73 ETB 117

95.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$2.41 ETB 388

66.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.67

$0.67 ETB 108

510.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.72

$0.55 ETB 88.4

387.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.40

$1.40 ETB 226

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$0.75 ETB 121

256.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.62 ETB 99.5

190.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.05

$8.03 ETB 1,292

80.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CA$18.84

$5.23 ETB 841

159.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$0.75 ETB 120

278.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$1.48 ETB 238

120.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$0.35 ETB 55.8

602.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 CA$104

$17.38 ETB 2,794

332.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.37

$1.36 ETB 218

131.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$0.29 ETB 47.23

431.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 CA$38.21

$2.01 ETB 323

1270.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$0.99 ETB 160

17.17%

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

$28.4K CA$39.3K

$55.6K ETB 8.9M

-48.94%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$55.2K ETB 8.9M

-64.76%

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

$155 CA$215

$145 ETB 23.3K

6.65%

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

$43.47 CA$60.3

$9.42 ETB 1,515

361.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.8

$230 ETB 37.0K

-73.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.1

$43.94 ETB 7,063

-6.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.79 CA$27.45

$36.43 ETB 5,856

-45.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$15.98

$4.92 ETB 791

134.35%

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

$786 CA$1,089

$120 ETB 19.3K

555.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.6K

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

-51.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.3

$36.02 ETB 5,789

52.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.25 CA$57.2

$64.1 ETB 10.3K

-35.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$76.6 ETB 12.3K

14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$86.1 ETB 13.8K

23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,797

$648 ETB 104.1K

99.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,619

$348 ETB 56.0K

235.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,835

$1,826 ETB 293.6K

11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,467

$709 ETB 114.0K

150.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 CA$6,638

$1,831 ETB 294.3K

161.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,973 CA$5,510

$1,023 ETB 164.5K

288.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,270

$201 ETB 32.3K

1434.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

-71.41%

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

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Last update for Ethiopia: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,228 in Canada vs $181 in Ethiopia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,496 in Ottawa and $703 in Addis Ababa.

Average salary: $2,981 in Canada vs $185 in Ethiopia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 578% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 175% more in Canada.

Public transport is 1100% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 1511% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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

Canada vs Ethiopia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ethiopia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 258% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Ethiopia, contributing to the overall 258% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Ethiopia, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Ethiopia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.