Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ethiopia and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Ethiopia: $1,213 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Ethiopia
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Ethiopia Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,213

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ethiopia and in the United States

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 the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,213 in Ethiopia versus $2,734 in the United States.

Ethiopia $1,213
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,821 in Ethiopia versus $3,985 in the United States.

Ethiopia $1,821
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,429 in Ethiopia versus $5,235 in the United States.

Ethiopia $2,429
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $374–$1,300 in Ethiopia. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Ethiopia costs about 56% less than in the United States on average.

Ethiopia (11% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ETB 662

$20.03 $20.03

-79.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.65 ETB 6,857

$80.0 $80.0

-46.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 ETB 1,037

$11.80 $11.80

-45.34%

Cappuccino

$0.86 ETB 138

$5.55 $5.55

-84.50%

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

$0.57 ETB 92.4

$2.66 $2.66

-78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ETB 90.5

$2.17 $2.17

-74.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ETB 143

$6.12 $6.12

-85.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ETB 312

$7.94 $7.94

-75.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 ETB 166

$1.04 $1.04

-0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ETB 145

$3.59 $3.59

-74.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ETB 279

$4.52 $4.52

-61.50%

Eggs

$1.79 ETB 288

$4.28 $4.28

-58.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 ETB 1,205

$13.22 $13.22

-43.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 ETB 1,686

$12.60 $12.60

-16.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 ETB 1,604

$17.60 $17.60

-43.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ETB 712

$5.30 $5.30

-16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ETB 125

$1.69 $1.69

-53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ETB 394

$4.44 $4.44

-44.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 108

$4.77 $4.77

-85.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ETB 88.2

$2.97 $2.97

-81.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ETB 216

$3.15 $3.15

-57.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ETB 124

$2.20 $2.20

-65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.2

$2.35 $2.35

-75.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.86 ETB 1,263

$10.98 $10.98

-28.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.38 ETB 864

$15.05 $15.05

-64.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ETB 122

$2.06 $2.06

-63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ETB 240

$3.79 $3.79

-60.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ETB 55.7

$1.94 $1.94

-81.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.78 ETB 2,698

$59.4 $59.4

-71.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

$3.58 $3.58

-62.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.16

$1.88 $1.88

-85.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 316

$29.84 $29.84

-93.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 ETB 161

$1.02 $1.02

-1.96%

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

$53.5K ETB 8.6M

$28.8K $28.8K

86.04%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.9M

$26.2K $26.2K

110.07%

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

$142 ETB 22.9K

$218 $218

-34.77%

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

$9.63 ETB 1,549

$62.5 $62.5

-84.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$236 ETB 37.9K

$74.5 $74.5

216.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.81 ETB 6,885

$41.86 $41.86

2.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.60 ETB 5,725

$22.81 $22.81

56.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 ETB 798

$14.70 $14.70

-66.26%

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

$628 ETB 100.9K

$1,489 $1,489

-57.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K ETB 4.8M

$25.3K $25.3K

19.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.35 ETB 5,845

$54.3 $54.3

-33.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ETB 10.1K

$42.71 $42.71

46.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ETB 12.6K

$94.1 $94.1

-16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ETB 14.3K

$114 $114

-21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 ETB 105.2K

$1,659 $1,659

-60.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ETB 55.6K

$1,348 $1,348

-74.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ETB 292.3K

$2,682 $2,682

-32.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 ETB 116.2K

$2,169 $2,169

-66.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,825 ETB 293.4K

$3,283 $3,283

-44.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 ETB 165.7K

$2,482 $2,482

-58.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 ETB 32.7K

$4,296 $4,296

-95.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

159.54%

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

Last update for Ethiopia: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ethiopia

$388 32%

United States

$355 13% 8.5% $33

Accommodation & Living

Ethiopia

$346 28.5%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 290% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Ethiopia

$210 17.3%

United States

$415 15.2% 97.8% $205

Clothing & Footwear

Ethiopia

$120 9.9%

United States

$137 5% 14.5% $17

Eating Out

Ethiopia

$75 6.2%

United States

$328 12% 335% $253

Sport & Entertainment

Ethiopia

$53 4.4%

United States

$71 2.6% 35.1% $19

Getting Around

Ethiopia

$21 1.7%

United States

$80 2.9% 284% $59

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $421 in Ethiopia, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $707 in Addis Ababa vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $180 in Ethiopia, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 285% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 74% more in the United States.

Public transport is 271% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 25 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

08:36 8:36 AM

01:36 1:36 AM

7 h behind Ethiopia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

128,691,692

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.59 EUR

1 USD = 0.899 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 179 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.59 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ethiopia United States 12,480 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Ethiopia
United States

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,213 per month in Ethiopia and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 126% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Ethiopia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $421 in Ethiopia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Ethiopia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: Ethiopia wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.