Construction Material Prices in Ethiopia: Cement, Rebar and Building Costs (October 2026)

Building material prices in Ethiopia change fast. In 2026 the price of a quintal of cement moved by up to Br 150 in a single day in Addis Ababa, and it doubled in some markets within weeks. This guide collects the most recent prices we could verify, with the source and date for each figure. It then explains what drives the prices and what it costs to build a house per square metre.

Prices change every week. Use these figures to plan a budget, not to sign a contract. Get a written quote from a supplier before you buy.

The official reference prices (mid 2026)

The Addis Ababa City Administration Design and Construction Works Bureau publishes reference prices each quarter for the city offices it serves. The latest list we found covers the fourth quarter of the Ethiopian fiscal year 2018, which ends in early July 2026. Prices exclude VAT and include loading, unloading and transport.

These are supply prices only. Labour, formwork and contractor overhead come on top.

Cement prices by brand

The bureau list does not split cement by brand. Market reports and listings give a wider picture, but the dates differ.

One quintal equals two 50 kg bags. The Jiji listings tag the product as a 50 kg bag, but they do not say clearly whether the price is per bag or per quintal. Ask the seller before you compare.

OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) costs more than PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement). In the bureau list, OPC is Br 300 more per quintal. Your structural engineer decides which type each part of the building needs.

Rebar prices by diameter

The bureau also prices reinforcement work. This rate covers rebar that is cut, bent and fixed in place, so it is higher than the supply price above.

Thin bars cost more per kg to fix. In April 2023 The Reporter put rebar at up to Br 130 per kg. The supply price has risen by more than half since then.

Hollow blocks, sand and gravel

Hollow concrete blocks (HCB) have risen faster than most inputs. In July 2026 an Addis Ababa University civil engineering professor told Addis Fortune that a single concrete block rose from about Br 35 to about Br 85. He said manipulation, not only shortage, drove part of the rise.

The bureau gives the cost of a finished HCB wall per square metre, with both sides left for plaster or pointing:

Class A blocks cost more again. A 15 cm Class A HCB wall costs Br 2,399.14 per square metre. Sand costs Br 6,250 per m³ and gravel Br 5,625 per m³ in the same list.

Corrugated roofing sheets

Corrugated iron sheets (korkoro) sell by the piece. Thickness is given as a gauge. A lower gauge number means a thicker sheet.

• Asking prices in October 2026. Sellers in Addis Ketema list sheets on Jiji at Br 680 per piece (Br 670 for 50 or more) and Br 750 per piece (Br 700 for 50 or more). One seller offers gauges 28 to 35, in lengths of 1 to 6 metres.
• Installed cost. The bureau prices a corrugated sheet roof, without truss and purlin, at Br 1,370.13 per m² for G28, Br 1,229.59 for G30, Br 997.16 for G32 and Br 833.46 for G35.

What drives the prices

The birr float of July 2024

On 29 July 2024 the National Bank of Ethiopia let the market set the birr exchange rate. The reform came with a USD 10.7 billion IMF and World Bank financing package. Capital reports that the birr moved from about 75 to about 155 per US dollar by February 2026. Builders import much of their rebar, tiles, sanitary fittings and finishing goods. Cement, sand and gravel come from the local market, but cement plants import some fuel and inputs. A weaker birr raises the price of all of these.

Fuel

Fuel makes up about 40 to 50 percent of the cost of making cement, according to Addis Fortune. On 1 April 2026 the government raised the price of diesel by 16.6 percent, from Br 139.84 to Br 163.09 per litre. It was the second rise in one month, after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted supply. Traders told The Horn Frequency that the fuel rise drove the March 2026 jump in cement prices. Diesel also moves sand, gravel and blocks to the site.

Cement supply and distribution rules

The government has changed the cement rules several times.

1. December 2022. The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration regulated factory prices and tried to cut out middlemen. The Reporter says these measures failed to bring lasting stability.
2. November 2024. The government lifted price restrictions. Plants can now set their own prices and choose their own merchants. By December 2024 the price of a quintal at the Kaliti market fell 27 percent to Br 1,700.
3. The current rules. The 19 cement plants must sell through licensed wholesalers and retailers. Large projects, real estate developers and ready-mix producers can buy direct from the plant.

Shortages continue. In July 2026 retailers told Addis Fortune that intermediaries control much of the supply after it leaves the plant. An Addis Ababa University engineering professor says many plants run at only 30 to 40 percent of capacity. Lemmi National Cement supplies about half of the country's cement. The Ministry of Mines assigned three experts to review the full cement value chain.

Import duties

In January 2025 the Ministry of Finance and the Customs Commission revised the tariff. Steel products now carry a 15 percent customs duty. Coal imports lost their duty-free status. Cement plants import coal because most local coal is not washed, so the change adds to cement costs. The ministry said the revision protects local industry.

What it costs to build a house

Few sources publish a cost per square metre, and those that do give wide ranges. These are the sourced estimates we found. All exclude the cost of land.

G+0 means a ground floor only. G+1 means a ground floor plus one upper floor. None of these sources gives a separate figure for G+0 and G+1. A simple G+0 house sits near the standard rate. A G+1 adds a concrete floor slab, beams and stairs, which use more cement and rebar, so budget toward the higher rows.

Live Ethio gives a worked example. A 120 m² house at Br 35,000 per m² costs about Br 4.2 million to build. With design, permits and utility connections it reaches Br 4.6 to 5 million. It adds 10 to 20 percent for these soft costs and advises a 5 to 10 percent contingency.

In 2023 a Flintstone Homes manager told The Reporter that direct costs, such as cement, rebar and finishing, make up about 60 percent of a building budget. The rest is overhead and profit. Material prices have risen sharply since both estimates, so treat them as a floor.

Buying versus building

Building can cost less than buying a finished house, but it carries more risk.

• Land comes first. In Addis Ababa you hold land through a lease from the city. A plot with a lease title is often the largest cost. Read our guide to land lease in Ethiopia and browse land for sale in Addis Ababa.
• Prices move during the build. A G+1 house takes many months. Cement and rebar can rise sharply in that time. In July 2026 one contractor told Addis Fortune that his firm stopped taking large structural jobs because it could not guarantee a steady cement supply.
• A finished house has a known price. You see the house, check the title and pay one agreed price. Compare current asking prices in our guide to house prices in Addis Ababa and on houses for sale in Addis Ababa.
• Check the full cost. Add permits, design fees, utility connections, transfer costs and a contingency to any building budget. Our guide to property tax and fees in Ethiopia explains the costs of a purchase.

If you plan to build, get a bill of quantities from an engineer and quotes from at least two suppliers. If you plan to buy, read how to buy a house in Addis Ababa.