Furnished apartments in Addis Ababa: prices, areas and rent rules

A furnished apartment is the usual first home for people who move to Addis Ababa for work. You can move in with a suitcase, and you do not need to buy furniture, a generator or a water tank. Furnished units cost more than empty ones, and many landlords quote the rent in US dollars. This guide compares the three main options, shows asking rents by area in October 2026 and explains the rent rules that apply.

Prices below are asking prices seen on listing portals in October 2026. They are not final rents. Landlords often accept less, and the advertised price may exclude utilities or tax.

Three ways to rent a furnished home

1. Serviced apartments

Serviced apartments are run like a hotel. You get a furnished apartment with a kitchen, plus hotel services such as housekeeping, reception, security and internet. You book by the night, the week or the month, and you can leave at short notice. They cost the most per month, but they suit the first weeks after arrival or a short assignment.

The best-known example is Marriott Executive Apartments Addis Ababa. It opened in 2015 as the first Marriott Executive Apartments property in Africa. It has 108 serviced units: one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments and a penthouse suite. It is in Bole, near Meskel Square, next to the UN Economic Commission for Africa, about 10 minutes by car from the airport. Units have equipped kitchens and Wi-Fi, and the property offers housekeeping and room service. Check rates and availability on the official Marriott site.

Many other hotels and guest houses in Bole and Kazanchis rent furnished apartments by the month. Ask for the monthly rate, not the nightly rate, and ask what the price includes.

Hotel payment rules differ from apartment rules. In July 2024 Capital reported that the National Bank of Ethiopia reinstated a directive that requires hotels to take payment from foreign passport holders in US dollars. If you hold a foreign passport, expect a hotel-run apartment to bill you in dollars.

2. Furnished apartments from landlords and developers

This is the largest part of the market. A private owner or a real estate company rents a furnished unit on a lease, usually for six months or more. Most listings on apartments for rent in Addis Ababa fall in this group.

These units cost less than serviced apartments per month. You sign a lease and deal with the landlord directly or through a broker. Services vary a lot. Some buildings have a generator, a lift, a guard and a cleaner. Others offer only the furniture.

3. Short-term rentals on Airbnb and similar platforms

Airbnb lists many apartments in Addis Ababa, most of them in Bole. Its monthly stays page for Bole offers monthly prices with a single monthly payment, and filters for a kitchen, Wi-Fi, a workspace, parking and a gym. Hosts are private owners, so quality and reliability vary. Short-term rentals suit a first visit, a house hunt or a stay of one to three months. For longer stays, a direct lease usually costs less.

Asking rents by area in October 2026

Ethiopia Property Centre lists most high-end furnished apartments in US dollars. Jiji lists most of them in birr. The ranges below come from furnished listings on both portals in October 2026.

Prices spread widely because furnished units range from plain flats to new towers with a pool and a gym. The top of the market is in Bole Atlas. The highest listings there asked USD 5,500 to 6,000 a month, including a four-bedroom duplex penthouse. For the wider rental market, including unfurnished homes, see our guide to renting an apartment in Addis Ababa.

Which area suits which renter

Bole

Bole has the most furnished apartments, cafes, restaurants and shops in the city, and it is next to the airport. It suits single professionals, couples and short assignments. Bole Atlas has many apartment buildings and the most expensive luxury apartments on the portals. Expect traffic and noise on the main roads.

Kazanchis

Kazanchis is the central business district, close to the UN Economic Commission for Africa and many government offices. It suits UN and office staff who want to walk or take a short drive to work. Several listings advertise "walking distance to UNECA". The city rebuilt much of the area under its corridor project, so newer buildings are common.

Old Airport

Old Airport is leafy and quiet, with large villas, embassies and the International Community School. It suits families and diplomats. Furnished apartments here are often large. Families who want a garden can also look at furnished houses. See our guide to international schools in Addis Ababa if you are moving with children.

CMC

CMC is in the east, on the light rail line, near the Addis International Convention Center. It has villa compounds and newer apartment blocks. Rents are lower than in Bole. It suits renters who want more space for the price and who work in the east of the city.

Sarbet

Sarbet is between Mexico Square and Old Airport, close to the African Union headquarters. Several listings target AU staff directly. It suits people who work at the AU or in the south-west, and it is calmer than Bole.

What is included in the rent

Never assume. Ask the landlord to list in writing what the rent covers. Common items are:

• Furniture and appliances. Beds, sofas, a dining table, a fridge, a cooker, a washing machine and a TV. Make an inventory with photos.
• Electricity and water. Some listings include utilities. Others leave electricity and water bills to the tenant. Ask how the meter works and who pays.
• Internet. Ask whether Wi-Fi is included, the speed and the provider.
• Generator. Power cuts happen in many areas. Ask whether a generator covers the whole unit or only the lifts and corridors, and who pays for fuel.
• Water tank and pump. Water supply can stop for hours or days. A rooftop or ground tank with a pump keeps the taps running.
• Cleaning. Some buildings include a cleaner a few days a week. Serviced apartments include housekeeping.
• Security. A guard, a gate, CCTV or a compound wall. Ask whether the guard works 24 hours.
• Parking. Ask for a reserved space if you have a car.

Contracts, advance payments and rent registration

The same rent law applies to a furnished apartment as to an empty one. Two documents set the rules in Addis Ababa: the federal Proclamation 1320/2024 on house rent control and administration, and the city's Directive 7/2024.

• Advance rent. A landlord can ask for a maximum of 2 months of rent in advance. Before the law, many landlords asked for 6 months or a year up front. A request for more than 2 months now breaks the law.
• Rent increases. A landlord can raise the rent only once a year, up to a cap the government sets. For the 2026/27 renewal round, Addis Fortune reported a cap of 11.5 percent from 8 July 2026, and another of its articles gives 11.25 percent. Check the figure with your woreda housing office. Newly built housing is exempt from the cap for up to 4 years.
• Written notice. A landlord must notify the tenant and the regulator in writing of a rent increase.
• Contract contents. Directive 7/2024 requires the lease to state the names and addresses of both parties, the address of the home, the rent, and the condition of the home.
• Registration. Leases must be registered. The parties bring the signed lease and a valid ID, such as a passport. The landlord shows proof of the right to rent the home, such as a title deed. Breaches carry administrative penalties of 1 to 3 months of rent.
• 2026/27 renewals. Renewal registration opened in early July 2026. The city extended the deadline from 6 August to 5 September 2026. Tenants and landlords register at woreda housing offices, registration centres and Addis Mesob one-stop service centres.

Birr or dollars

Many landlords of furnished apartments quote rent in US dollars. We could not find a rule in the rent law that names the currency of rent. The National Bank of Ethiopia controls foreign currency use closely, and the birr is the local currency. Ask the landlord to state the rent in birr in the lease, or to state the exchange rate that applies. Pay by bank transfer so you have a record. If a hotel runs the apartment, the hotel dollar rule above may apply.

Checklist for viewing a furnished apartment

1. Visit in person, or send someone you trust. Photos online often show a different unit.
2. Check the owner. Ask for the title deed or the lease that gives the landlord the right to rent.
3. Test the water. Open the taps and the shower. Ask about the tank size and the pump.
4. Test the power. Ask when the generator last ran and what it covers.
5. Check the internet. Run a speed test on your phone.
6. Inspect the furniture. Check beds, sofas, appliances and the cooker. Note damage in writing.
7. Check security. Look at the gate, the guard post and the locks.
8. Visit at night and at rush hour. Check noise, lighting and the drive to work.
9. Agree the inventory. List every item with photos, and sign it with the lease.
10. Read the lease. Check the rent, the currency, the advance, the term, the notice period and what is included.
11. Register the lease. Keep a copy of the registered lease and every receipt.

Browse furnished homes

Start with apartments for rent in Addis Ababa and look for "furnished" in the title. Families who need a garden can browse houses for rent, where some owners rent fully furnished villas. To compare areas on price and daily life, read our guide to the best neighborhoods in Addis Ababa.