What does Adventure in Ethiopia say about budgeting?

It is really good if you can afford unlimited funds for your adventures trip. But the basic cost is useful to know.

•     If you use facilities that are mainly geared to locals, Ethiopia is a very inexpensive country, even by African standards. You can always find a basic room in a local hotel for around US  $8 – $15 and a meal for less than US $4. The public transportation and soft drinks are cheap. Rigidly limited budget travellers could probably keep costs down to US $20 per day per person, but US $30 would give you considerably more flexibility. At US $60 per day, you could, within reason, do what you like.  There are always going to be days that a variety of factors (historical site and guide fees, air tickets) conspire to make expensive. At current prices, a daily budget of around US $60 per day with a few hundred dollars for one-off expenses would be very comfortable for most travellers.
•     Ethiopia does get relatively expensive is when you take organised driving tours Danakil depression or to some places in South- western part of Ethiopia. The small groups of tourists means that arrangements tend to be personalised, and this tours will be more expensive because of the reason is the necessary additional security measures and conditions.
•   Another suggestion from Adventures in Ethiopia that you should consider – whether or not it seems rational or fair to you,tipping is expected in most countries of Africa.

  Remember – tipping isn’t mandatory if someone doesn’t deserve it, but also understand trying to live in a different economic reality can be very difficult. Most Ethiopians don’t work year round. We’ve met many guides around the Ethiopia who can only find jobs a few months out of the year, such as during peak season.

  And remember that if you got good service from a good person, 10 or 20 dollars means a lot more to them than it does to you.
•     Below you’ll find some tipping guidelines to help you budget the right amount of money to bring on your trip.
  The tip for meals and drinks  10 – 15 % is the normal tip for good service at restaurants and in bars. If you’re just buying a beer or a coffee, it’s fine to leave the change rather than a specific tip. If you’re dining with a large group at a nice restaurant, a service charge will usually be added to the check automatically. 

  At budget hotels – tips for housekeeping are not expected but are nevertheless always welcome.