Temperature
May has the warmest monthly average (21.7°C); December is coolest (15.6°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.
Ethiopia · Visit or make it home
Mek'ele
Mek'ele is a city in Ethiopia. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.
Get to know Mek'ele
A sense of the place
Mekelle is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray. It is located around 780 kilometres north of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 metres above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities. It is the economic, cultural, and political hub of northern Ethiopia. Mekelle has grown rapidly since 1991 with a population of 61,000 in 1984, 97,000 inhabitants in 1994 , and 170,000 in 2006 . Mekelle is the second-largest city in Ethiopia after Addis Ababa, with a population of around 545,000. It is four times larger than Adigrat, the second-largest regional center. The majority of the population of Mekelle depends on government employment, commerce, and small-scale enterprises. In 2007, Mekelle had new engineering, cement, and textile factories, producing for the local and foreign markets. Mekelle University developed out of the pre-1991 Arid Agricultural College, and about a dozen other governmental and private colleges were created.
Weather through the year
When to visit Mek'ele
Rain and outdoor plans
July averages about 151 mm of rain, compared with 6 mm in January. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.
Planning time outdoors
January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average °C | 16.5 | 18.1 | 19.7 | 20.7 | 21.7 | 21.7 | 19.3 | 18.9 | 19.2 | 17.6 | 16.5 | 15.6 |
| Rain, mm | 6 | 10 | 16 | 51 | 28 | 41 | 151 | 148 | 40 | 23 | 8 | 10 |
Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.
Average rent in Mek'ele
What is the average rent in Mek'ele?
A verified average rent for Mek'ele is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.
Average salary in Mek'ele
What is the average salary in Mek'ele?
95.9 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2021. It describes Ethiopia, not average salary in Mek'ele. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.
Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2021 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)
How should I compare Mek'ele with another city?
Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.
- Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
- Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
- Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.
Data sources, licences & reuse terms
Plan your stay
Budget and everyday decisions
A holiday budget
Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Mek'ele, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.
Compare holiday preferences →A relocation budget
Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.
Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.
Compare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
95.9 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2021. Limited confidence. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Your relocation planning budget
Build a monthly budget for Mek'ele in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.
Monthly total:
First month including move:
Compare with another city →Compare the details
Mek'ele at a glance
Annual precipitation
532 mm/year
Annual precipitation gives a broad climate comparison. Its distribution through the year matters more for a short visit.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Average annual temperature
18.8 C
Long-term average including days and nights. Use the monthly breakdown to choose dates; this is not a weather forecast.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Nearest listed airport (straight-line distance)
7.1 km
Straight-line distance to a listed airport, not transfer time or confirmation of scheduled flights. Check the airport serving your actual route before booking.
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: OurAirports — airport locations · Public domainCompare with another city →Ethiopia: the wider context
These are country-level figures, not measurements of Mek'ele. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.
See 10 national indicators
Income level — GNI per capita, PPP (gross)
3,620 international dollars (PPP)
Purchasing-power-adjusted national income per person is not a salary or take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: World Bank — GNI per capita, PPP (NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
95.9 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2021. Limited confidence. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Fixed broadband / internet quality
21.9 percent
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank / ITU — Individuals using the Internet, % (IT.NET.USER.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Healthcare / health outcome (life expectancy at birth)
67.6 years
Life expectancy describes population health outcomes; it does not measure the quality or availability of a particular hospital.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →English / language accessibility
40 ordinal_0_100
Data period: 2026-08-30. Limited confidence. Source: Wikidata — coordinates, population, timezone, ISO codes, official languages · CC0 1.0Compare with another city →Overall tax burden (taxes + social contributions, % of GDP)
3.4 percent_gdp
Taxes and social contributions as a share of the economy, not your personal income-tax rate.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Tax revenue % of GDP (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Intentional homicide rate
8.5 per 100,000 people
Homicide rates are a narrow safety indicator. They do not describe petty crime or the safety of an individual neighbourhood.
Data period: 2012. Older figure — excluded from recommendations. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank / UNODC — Intentional homicides per 100k (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Comparative price level (household consumption)
30 (EU average = 100)
Data period: 2025. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — Price level index, household consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PLI) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Air quality — annual mean PM2.5
23.8 µg/m³
Data period: 2023. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — PM2.5 mean annual exposure (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Education system (national)
57.6 points (0–188)
Data period: 2025. Estimate. Source: World Bank HCI+ education pillar (2025) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Other places to compare in Ethiopia
What to check before deciding
Comparable figures are not available here for: Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.
Compare Mek'ele with other cities
Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.
All maintained comparisons →