Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ethiopia and Morocco

For one person, living is cheaper in Morocco: $756 a month against $1,211 in Ethiopia, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

🇪🇹 Ethiopia
$1,211
/mo nomad
🇲🇦 Morocco
$756
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ethiopia and in Morocco

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ethiopia versus $756 in Morocco.

  • Ethiopia $1,211
  • Morocco $756

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,819 in Ethiopia versus $1,183 in Morocco.

  • Ethiopia $1,819
  • Morocco $1,183

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,427 in Ethiopia versus $1,611 in Morocco.

  • Ethiopia $2,427
  • Morocco $1,611

Living in Ethiopia is roughly 60% more expensive than in Morocco on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Ethiopia 10% lower, Morocco 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.96 ETB 636
$4.04 MAD 39.37
-1.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.30 ETB 6,789
$25.45 MAD 248
66.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.39 ETB 1,026
$6.99 MAD 68.2
-8.58%
Cappuccino
$0.85 ETB 136
$1.72 MAD 16.80
-50.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 ETB 92.2
$0.70 MAD 6.81
-18.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ETB 89.7
$0.37 MAD 3.59
51.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 ETB 141
$4.17 MAD 40.67
-78.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ETB 314
$4.25 MAD 41.44
-53.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 ETB 171
$0.91 MAD 8.86
16.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 ETB 158
$0.65 MAD 6.30
52.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 ETB 283
$1.75 MAD 17.05
0.57%
Eggs
$1.80 ETB 289
$1.80 MAD 17.58
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.60 ETB 1,220
$9.73 MAD 94.9
-21.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.28 ETB 1,650
$6.26 MAD 61.0
64.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.97 ETB 1,600
$10.99 MAD 107
-9.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.50 ETB 722
$1.44 MAD 14.02
212.50%
Banana (1kg)
$0.74 ETB 119
$1.36 MAD 13.24
-45.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ETB 376
$0.78 MAD 7.61
200.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.67 ETB 108
$0.74 MAD 7.24
-9.46%
Potato (1kg)
$0.56 ETB 89.3
$0.71 MAD 6.94
-21.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 ETB 214
$0.76 MAD 7.43
75.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.82 ETB 132
$0.42 MAD 4.13
95.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 ETB 97.7
$0.62 MAD 6.00
-1.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.12 ETB 1,303
$4.02 MAD 39.20
101.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.28 ETB 848
$7.59 MAD 74.0
-30.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ETB 121
$2.44 MAD 23.75
-69.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 ETB 239
$2.75 MAD 26.82
-45.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ETB 59.8
$0.53 MAD 5.18
-30.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.20 ETB 2,760
$20.72 MAD 202
-16.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 ETB 214
$0.75 MAD 7.27
77.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ETB 43.16
$0.71 MAD 6.91
-61.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.97 ETB 316
$5.32 MAD 51.9
-62.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 ETB 158
$1.45 MAD 14.12
-31.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.6K ETB 8.4M
$34.7K MAD 338.0K
51.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.8K ETB 8.8M
$30.8K MAD 300.0K
77.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 ETB 23.1K
$39.16 MAD 382
267.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.86 ETB 1,583
$10.74 MAD 105
-8.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$235 ETB 37.7K
$38.29 MAD 373
513.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.50 ETB 6,981
$24.84 MAD 242
75.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.20 ETB 5,810
$19.55 MAD 191
85.17%
Cinema Ticket
$5.11 ETB 821
$6.26 MAD 61.1
-18.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$120 ETB 19.3K
$142 MAD 1,382
-15.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.1K ETB 4.8M
$4,227 MAD 41.2K
612.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.30 ETB 5,666
$34.89 MAD 340
1.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.0 ETB 10.1K
$42.35 MAD 413
48.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ETB 12.5K
$83.4 MAD 813
-6.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.2 ETB 14.3K
$64.0 MAD 624
39.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$639 ETB 102.5K
$357 MAD 3,476
79.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$342 ETB 55.0K
$203 MAD 1,984
68.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,766 ETB 283.4K
$592 MAD 5,772
198.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$720 ETB 115.5K
$370 MAD 3,611
94.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,793 ETB 287.8K
$1,592 MAD 15.5K
12.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,005 ETB 161.4K
$983 MAD 9,580
2.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ethiopia
Morocco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$202 ETB 32.3K
$468 MAD 4,567
-56.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17
4.7
261.70%

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

Last update for Ethiopia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Morocco: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ethiopia
$389
Morocco
$88 77.3% $301
Accommodation & Living
Ethiopia
$342
Morocco
$203 40.6% $139
Groceries & Markets
Ethiopia
$211
Morocco
$191 9.4% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Ethiopia
$119
Morocco
$101 15.3% $18
Eating Out
Ethiopia
$74
Morocco
$108 45.6% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Ethiopia
$54
Morocco
$37 30.4% $16
Getting Around
Ethiopia
$21
Morocco
$27 27% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $181 in Ethiopia, $280 in Morocco. Capital cities: $711 in Addis Ababa vs $517 in Rabat.

National salary averages: $180 in Ethiopia, $405 in Morocco. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 55% higher in Morocco.

Public transport is 280% more expensive in Morocco.

Salaries are 125% higher in Morocco, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Morocco.

Good to know
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
🇲🇦 Morocco
🕒 Local time
05:47 5:47 AM
03:47 3:47 AM
2 h behind Ethiopia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
128,691,692
37,076,584
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 160 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ethiopia Morocco 5,410 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ethiopia
  • Morocco

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
Ethiopia vs Morocco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Ethiopia and Morocco?
At $1,211 per month in Ethiopia and $756 in Morocco, there's a 60% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
Overall, Morocco is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Ethiopia or in Morocco?
In Morocco, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Ethiopia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Ethiopia or to Morocco?
It depends on what you're after: Morocco wins on affordability; Ethiopia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Ethiopia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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