Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Ethiopia

Name: Ethiopia
Address: ET

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.

131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Ethiopia
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Ethiopia Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,213

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

United States $2,734
Ethiopia $1,213

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

United States $3,985
Ethiopia $1,821

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

United States $5,235
Ethiopia $2,429

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 the United States is roughly 126% more expensive than in Ethiopia on average.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$4.11 ETB 662

387.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$42.65 ETB 6,857

87.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$6.45 ETB 1,037

82.95%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$0.86 ETB 138

545.35%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$0.57 ETB 92.4

366.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.56 ETB 90.5

287.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$0.89 ETB 143

587.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$1.94 ETB 312

309.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.03 ETB 166

0.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$0.90 ETB 145

298.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.74 ETB 279

159.77%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$1.79 ETB 288

139.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$7.49 ETB 1,205

76.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$10.49 ETB 1,686

20.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$9.97 ETB 1,604

76.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.43 ETB 712

19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.78 ETB 125

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.45 ETB 394

81.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$0.67 ETB 108

611.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$0.55 ETB 88.2

440.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.34 ETB 216

135.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.77 ETB 124

185.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.57 ETB 91.2

312.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$7.86 ETB 1,263

39.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$5.38 ETB 864

179.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.76 ETB 122

171.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.49 ETB 240

154.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.35 ETB 55.7

454.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$16.78 ETB 2,698

253.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.36 ETB 218

163.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.27 ETB 43.16

596.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$1.97 ETB 316

1414.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.00 ETB 161

2.00%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$53.5K ETB 8.6M

-46.25%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$55.1K ETB 8.9M

-52.40%

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

$218 $218

$142 ETB 22.9K

53.30%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$9.63 ETB 1,549

548.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$236 ETB 37.9K

-68.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$42.81 ETB 6,885

-2.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$35.60 ETB 5,725

-35.93%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$4.96 ETB 798

196.37%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$628 ETB 100.9K

137.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$30.1K ETB 4.8M

-16.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$36.35 ETB 5,845

49.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$62.8 ETB 10.1K

-31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$78.3 ETB 12.6K

20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$88.6 ETB 14.3K

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$654 ETB 105.2K

153.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$346 ETB 55.6K

289.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$1,818 ETB 292.3K

47.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$723 ETB 116.2K

200.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

$1,825 ETB 293.4K

79.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$1,031 ETB 165.7K

140.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$203 ETB 32.7K

2012.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

-61.47%

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ethiopia: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Ethiopia

$346 28.5% 74.3% $1K

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

Ethiopia

$210 17.3% 49.4% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Ethiopia

$388 32% 9.2% $33

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

Ethiopia

$75 6.2% 77% $253

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Ethiopia

$120 9.9% 12.7% $17

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

Ethiopia

$21 1.7% 74% $59

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

Ethiopia

$53 4.4% 26% $19

Cost Breakdown

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

National salary averages: $4,549 in the United States, $180 in Ethiopia. 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

🇺🇸 United States

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

🕒 Local time

06:22 6:22 AM

13:22 1:22 PM

7 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

128,691,692

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.59 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

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).

ETB to USD in detail →

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Between locations

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

From you

United States
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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

United States vs Ethiopia: 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.