What budget for activities and outings Ethiopia?
Visiting the churches is not cheap (400 birr for the entrance, but then you have to pay the priest, sometimes the scout, sometimes the people guarding the car in the parking lot, etc.). The tribes of the Omo valley are also quite expensive if you're two people, less so if you're with a large group, and the local guide, in addition to the individual entrance fee, is quite expensive, and compulsory even if you have your own guide in the car. The Danakil desert tour is also quite expensive, but off-season you can negotiate prices more easily.
Meskel Square is an ideal spot for early-morning joggers, or the Entoto hills above Addis Ababa.
Don't forget to go to the duty-free counter at the airport once you're in the boarding area, to get the VAT (15%) refunded on any products you buy in the store with a receipt showing the VAT.
Bole is a rather expensive district for trendy clubs, with prices for alcoholic beverages equivalent to those of a Parisian bar (but not a Parisian club, so it's okay). If you want to do as the Ethiopians do, take a club tour: they love to flit from place to place all evening long, and we recommend you do the same! Entrance is free, so you can get a taste of different atmospheres throughout the evening.
What budget to eat Ethiopia?
Ethiopian meals are not very expensive; international dishes, especially tilapia, are more expensive.
Nothing is expensive in Ethiopia, from traditional coffee(buna) to Saint-George beer to cocktails in the capital's posh bars.
What is the budget for accommodation Ethiopia?
Small local hotels, with room rates ranging from US$10 to US$20, "do the job", i.e. you get a clean room with a private bathroom, usually hot water, and sometimes even air conditioning. On the other hand, don't expect precious finishing touches: hastily-built edifices are often quickly run down, with masons and electricians in a state of disrepair. In the category just above, in the US$50s for a double room with breakfast, you're already in hotels of a pleasant standard, with good hotel service and more comfortable, finished rooms. There is a higher category, between US$80 and US$150, of charming luxury lodges in the most touristy areas, where the rooms are generally in traditional tukuls and the pool and spa complete the offer. Finally, Addis Ababa boasts a number of luxury addresses, particularly in Bole and Kazanchis, mainly from international chains.
Travel budget Ethiopia and cost of living
It's best to budget a minimum of €50 per day, i.e. €20 for accommodation and €30 for all other expenses, from food to local guides, buses, cabs, etc. If you're staying in charming lodges with high-end restaurants in tourist areas, you're better off budgeting €100 to €150 per day.
Domestic flights are very reasonably priced (€50 on average) if you have bought your tickets at the resident fare (if you have taken an international Ethiopian Airlines flight, this is possible). Otherwise, fares soar (up to triple the price). Luxury" buses have multiplied to link the country's main cities, and the new Addis Ababa-Djibouti train, which passes through Dire Dawa, has just entered service. Journeys cost just a few dozen euros.
