Bricks
A fired clay brick costs ETB 30 per piece in the latest list. A built wall costs much more than the bricks in it, because of the mortar and the labour. A single brick wall, 120 mm thick, is ETB 2,744.51 per m². A double wall, 250 mm thick, is ETB 5,272.11 per m².
Brick walls cost more than hollow block walls of the same use. Compare with the hollow block page.
Stone foundations
Most houses in Addis Ababa stand on a stone masonry foundation. The list prices it by the cubic metre of finished wall, with cement mortar: ETB 8,804.92 per m³ for a 50 cm foundation below ground level. Basaltic stone itself is ETB 2,850 per m³.
Under the ground floor slab goes a layer of hardcore, which is broken stone that a crew packs by hand. A 25 cm layer costs ETB 1,034.09 per m².
The price over time
The brick price went from ETB 18 in 2016 E.C. Q1 (Jul to Sep 2023) to ETB 30 per piece, a change of +66.7%. Stone went from ETB 1,200 in 2016 E.C. Q1 (Jul to Sep 2023) to ETB 2,850 per m³.
The rates are direct cost only. The bureau tells users to add overhead (up to 10 percent of direct cost for contractors of grade 3 and above) and profit (7 to 13 percent, by project size). VAT of 15 percent comes on top.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of a brick in Addis Ababa?
The latest official rate is ETB 30 per piece, delivered, without VAT, for 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026).
How much does a stone masonry foundation cost?
The official rate for a 50 cm thick stone masonry foundation below ground level, in cement mortar, is ETB 8,804.92 per m³, without VAT.
How much has the price of a brick changed in Addis Ababa?
The official rate moved from ETB 18 in 2016 E.C. Q1 (Jul to Sep 2023) to ETB 30 per piece in 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026). That is a change of +66.7%.
Sources
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2018 E.C. Q4
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2018 E.C. Q2
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q4
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q3
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q2
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2017 E.C. Q1
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q4
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q3
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q2
- Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau: construction works direct cost, 2016 E.C. Q1
These prices are reference figures for a budget. They are not a quote. Prices change every week, so get a written price from a supplier before you buy.