Thickness and class
Hollow concrete block (HCB) is the common wall material in Addis Ababa. Blocks come in three thicknesses. A 10 cm block is for partitions inside a home. A 15 cm block is for partitions and some outer walls. A 20 cm block is for outer walls.
The class is the strength. Class A is the strongest and class C is the weakest. Class C is normal for a wall that only fills a concrete frame. A wall that carries load needs class A or B. The engineer names the class on the drawings.
What the rate covers
The official list prices the finished wall by the square metre: blocks, mortar and labour, with both sides left for plaster. A 15 cm wall costs ETB 1,567.67 per m² in class C, ETB 1,782.36 per m² in class B and ETB 2,399.14 per m² in class A. Plaster is extra: see plaster and screed.
One square metre of wall takes about 12.5 blocks of 40 by 20 cm.
The price over time
A 15 cm class C wall went from ETB 839.41 in 2016 E.C. Q1 (Jul to Sep 2023) to ETB 1,567.67 per m², a change of +86.8%. In July 2026 an Addis Ababa University civil engineering professor told Addis Fortune that one block rose from about ETB 35 to about ETB 85.
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
How much does a hollow block wall cost per square metre in Addis Ababa?
The official rate for a 15 cm class C wall is ETB 1,567.67 per m², built, without VAT, for 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026). A 20 cm class C wall is ETB 1,808.04 per m².
How much is one hollow block in Addis Ababa?
In July 2026 Addis Fortune reported a price of about ETB 85 for one concrete block, up from about ETB 35. The official list prices the finished wall, not the single block.
How many hollow blocks are in one square metre of wall?
About 12.5 blocks of 40 cm by 20 cm, with mortar joints. Add 5 percent for breakage.
How much has the price of a 15 cm class C hollow block wall changed in Addis Ababa?
The official rate moved from ETB 839.41 in 2016 E.C. Q1 (Jul to Sep 2023) to ETB 1,567.67 per m² in 2018 E.C. Q4 (Apr to Jun 2026). That is a change of +86.8%.
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
- Addis Fortune: A sack of cement, with the chain no one can see (July 2026)
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.