Cost of Living Comparison Between Ethiopia and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Ethiopia and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Ethiopia vs $2,547 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,155 per month in Ethiopia vs $3,678 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Ethiopia vs $4,808 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Ethiopia is roughly 70% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Ethiopia sits 44% below the global median, while Australia is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 ETB 632

$17.74 A$24.73

-77.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.71 ETB 6,865

$86.9 A$121

-50.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 ETB 1,052

$11.35 A$15.82

-42.29%

Cappuccino

$0.87 ETB 139

$3.99 A$5.57

-78.20%

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

$0.56 ETB 90.6

$2.97 A$4.14

-81.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ETB 89.7

$2.51 A$3.50

-77.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ETB 134

$7.75 A$10.80

-89.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ETB 327

$8.07 A$11.25

-74.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 ETB 173

$1.76 A$2.46

-38.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ETB 156

$2.87 A$4.00

-66.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 ETB 277

$2.37 A$3.31

-27.43%

Eggs

$1.81 ETB 291

$5.11 A$7.13

-64.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ETB 1,213

$10.13 A$14.13

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 ETB 1,671

$9.57 A$13.35

8.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 ETB 1,667

$15.59 A$21.74

-33.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 ETB 721

$3.83 A$5.34

17.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ETB 117

$3.13 A$4.36

-76.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ETB 388

$3.35 A$4.67

-28.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 108

$4.88 A$6.80

-86.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ETB 88.4

$2.92 A$4.07

-81.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ETB 226

$2.36 A$3.29

-40.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ETB 121

$2.46 A$3.43

-69.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ETB 99.5

$1.70 A$2.38

-63.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 ETB 1,292

$39.46 A$55.0

-79.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 ETB 841

$14.69 A$20.48

-64.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ETB 120

$5.07 A$7.07

-85.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ETB 238

$5.36 A$7.48

-72.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ETB 55.8

$2.84 A$3.96

-87.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 ETB 2,794

$97.3 A$136

-82.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

$3.56 A$4.96

-61.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 47.23

$1.68 A$2.34

-82.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 323

$40.94 A$57.1

-95.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ETB 160

$1.35 A$1.88

-26.67%

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

$55.6K ETB 8.9M

$29.1K A$40.5K

91.18%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.9M

$29.5K A$41.1K

87.37%

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

$145 ETB 23.3K

$207 A$289

-30.00%

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

$9.42 ETB 1,515

$29.34 A$40.91

-67.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$230 ETB 37.0K

$60.0 A$83.7

283.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.94 ETB 7,063

$59.3 A$82.6

-25.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 ETB 5,856

$20.28 A$28.27

79.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 ETB 791

$16.04 A$22.36

-69.33%

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

$120 ETB 19.3K

$2,194 A$3,059

-94.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

$18.6K A$26.0K

63.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.02 ETB 5,789

$81.1 A$113

-55.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 ETB 10.3K

$56.9 A$79.3

12.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ETB 12.3K

$119 A$165

-35.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 ETB 13.8K

$126 A$176

-31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 ETB 104.1K

$1,637 A$2,282

-60.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ETB 56.0K

$1,306 A$1,821

-73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 ETB 293.6K

$2,589 A$3,609

-29.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 ETB 114.0K

$1,963 A$2,737

-63.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 ETB 294.3K

$8,394 A$11.7K

-78.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,023 ETB 164.5K

$6,140 A$8,560

-83.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ETB 32.3K

$4,067 A$5,670

-95.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

186.68%

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

Last update for Ethiopia: September 5, 2026

Last update for Australia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $181 in Ethiopia vs $1,426 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $703 in Addis Ababa and $1,845 in Canberra.

Average salary: $185 in Ethiopia vs $3,945 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 688% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 254% more in Australia.

Public transport is 1500% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 2032% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Ethiopia vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ethiopia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 249% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Ethiopia, contributing to the overall 249% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Ethiopia, but in Australia 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.