Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Ethiopia Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Ethiopia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $786 in Ethiopia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $1,185 in Ethiopia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in United Kingdom versus $1,584 in Ethiopia.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 201% more expensive than Ethiopia on average.

United Kingdom (76% above) and Ethiopia (41% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.41 £15.17
$4.40 ETB 693
363.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.0 £64.7
$35.21 ETB 5,548
147.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.13 £7.53
$6.64 ETB 1,046
52.56%
Cappuccino
$4.70 £3.49
$1.16 ETB 183
305.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 £1.75
$0.60 ETB 94.4
293.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 £1.30
$0.46 ETB 73.0
282.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.66 £4.95
$1.02 ETB 160
552.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.43 £4.78
$2.03 ETB 321
216.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.27
$1.42 ETB 224
19.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 £1.21
$1.29 ETB 203
26.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 £1.70
$1.68 ETB 264
36.31%
Eggs
$4.03 £2.99
$2.48 ETB 391
62.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 £7.26
$7.22 ETB 1,138
35.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 £6.63
$12.54 ETB 1,976
-28.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.31 £10.64
$13.08 ETB 2,062
9.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 £2.26
$6.25 ETB 985
-51.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 £1.19
$0.98 ETB 155
64.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 £2.11
$2.30 ETB 363
23.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.53 £2.62
$0.85 ETB 134
315.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 £1.19
$0.64 ETB 100
151.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 £1.17
$1.88 ETB 296
-16.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 £0.87
$0.73 ETB 115
60.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 £1.16
$0.67 ETB 106
132.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.03 £14.89
$3.92 ETB 618
410.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.90 £8.10
$5.37 ETB 847
102.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 £2.16
$0.84 ETB 133
245.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 £2.51
$1.84 ETB 290
83.70%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.17 £2.35
$0.27 ETB 42.41
1074.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.2 £70.8
$12.42 ETB 1,957
666.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 £4.05
$1.48 ETB 233
268.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 £1.18
$0.31 ETB 49.27
412.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.31 £20.30
$1.96 ETB 308
1293.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.48
$1.25 ETB 197
59.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K £28.1K
$53.3K ETB 8.4M
-29.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K £29.9K
$53.3K ETB 8.4M
-24.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$323 £240
$135 ETB 21.2K
139.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.22 £12.80
$11.93 ETB 1,880
44.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.23 £31.39
$155 ETB 24.4K
-72.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.03 £34.21
$62.1 ETB 9,791
-25.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.67 £11.65
$36.89 ETB 5,813
-57.52%
Cinema Ticket
$13.48 £10.02
$5.12 ETB 807
163.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,713 £1,274
$77.2 ETB 12.2K
2119.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K £15.5K
$39.8K ETB 6.3M
-47.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.3 £67.8
$48.27 ETB 7,607
89.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.88 £33.36
$76.6 ETB 12.1K
-41.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £75.9
$98.9 ETB 15.6K
3.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 £77.3
$117 ETB 18.4K
-10.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,417 £1,053
$682 ETB 107.4K
107.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 £841
$379 ETB 59.8K
198.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 £1,715
$1,406 ETB 221.6K
64.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,839 £1,367
$891 ETB 140.4K
106.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,727 £4,257
$1,790 ETB 282.1K
219.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,523 £3,362
$1,005 ETB 158.4K
349.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Ethiopia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,333 £2,477
$203 ETB 32.0K
1540.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
17
-66.18%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ethiopia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,265 in United Kingdom, $212 in Ethiopia. Capital cities: $3,019 in London vs $758 in Addis Ababa.

National salary averages: $3,219 in United Kingdom, $184 in Ethiopia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 497% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 320% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 2225% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 1649% higher in United Kingdom, giving United Kingdom stronger purchasing power.

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
United Kingdom vs Ethiopia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Ethiopia and United Kingdom?
At $692 per month in Ethiopia and $2,785 in United Kingdom, there's a 303% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Ethiopia is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Ethiopia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Ethiopia or United Kingdom?
In Ethiopia, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Ethiopia or United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after. Ethiopia wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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