Phone and Laptop Prices in Ethiopia: October 2026 Price Pulse

How much should a used iPhone 13 or an HP EliteBook cost in Ethiopia right now? Ask three sellers and you will probably get three different answers. One Telegram channel says 55,000 birr, a shop in Bole says 70,000, and a friend swears they paid less last year.

So we went to the numbers. We looked at every phone and laptop listing published on Addiyon between 10 September and 9 October 2026: 636 phone listings and 1,090 laptop listings after removing obvious duplicates. For each popular model you will find the median asking price and the middle range, the band where the middle half of listings sit.

Think of this as a reference point, not a price list. Use it to recognise a normal offer, a greedy one, and one that is too cheap to trust.

1. Before You Compare: Know What These Numbers Are

These are asking prices, not completed sales. Most sellers expect a bit of negotiation, and condition, storage, and battery health can move the price of one particular device a lot.

Each price below reads like this: model: median price (middle range, number of listings).

• Median: half the listings ask less than this and half ask more. One crazy price cannot drag it around the way it drags an average.
• Middle range: from the 25th to the 75th percentile. A price inside it is ordinary for that model. A price far outside it needs a good explanation.
• Listings: how many listings the numbers come from. Under about 10 listings, treat the number as a rough guide only.

• Find out the exact model, storage, and RAM before comparing a listing with these numbers.
• Ask about battery health, replaced parts, and warranty. They explain most of the gap between two listings of the same model.
• Compare like with like. A 256GB phone with a new battery should ask more than a 64GB phone with a tired one.

2. iPhone Prices: The Pro Models Hold Their Value

• iPhone 11: 34,000 ETB (30,000 to 36,250, 15 listings)
• iPhone 11 Pro / Pro Max: 38,500 ETB (37,250 to 45,500, 10 listings)
• iPhone 12: 44,000 ETB (41,000 to 46,500, 11 listings)
• iPhone 12 Pro / Pro Max: 60,000 ETB (55,500 to 69,500, 15 listings)
• iPhone 13: 59,000 ETB (49,750 to 60,000, 16 listings)
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: 85,000 ETB (45,000 to 105,000, 13 listings)
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: 125,000 ETB (117,500 to 131,500, 11 listings)
• iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max: 155,500 ETB (136,500 to 162,750, 10 listings)

A few models had fewer listings, so treat these as rough: iPhone 13 Pro around 76,000 ETB (8 listings), iPhone 15 Pro around 115,000 ETB (6 listings), and iPhone 16 around 108,500 ETB (6 listings).

The iPhone 17 Pro Max showed up in local listings fast. Most 256GB iPhone 17 Pro Max listings asked between 197,000 and 218,000 ETB. One seller asked 245,000 ETB for a unit described as brand new.

Here is the interesting part: an older Pro often costs as much as a newer base model. The iPhone 12 Pro asks about the same as a plain iPhone 13, and the iPhone 13 Pro sits well above both. If you mostly care about the camera and do not need the newest software features, an older Pro can be the smarter buy.

Also notice how wide the iPhone 14 Pro Max range is. Most listings asked 85,000 to 123,000 ETB, but a handful asked only 38,000 to 58,000 ETB. Section 6 explains why that should make you careful.

3. Android Prices: Compare the Exact Model, Not the Brand

• Samsung Galaxy A-series: 19,500 ETB (17,500 to 26,875, 116 listings)
• Tecno / Infinix: 11,000 ETB (9,000 to 16,000, 42 listings)
• Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO: 56,500 ETB (39,750 to 75,250, 48 listings)

With fewer listings, roughly: Galaxy S24 Ultra around 130,000 ETB (9 listings, most between 130,000 and 135,000 ETB) and Galaxy S23 Ultra around 94,000 ETB (7 listings).

The Galaxy A-series was the busiest phone group in this report, and its range is tight. Most listings asked under 27,000 ETB, which makes an overpriced offer easy to spot. Tecno and Infinix sit at the budget end of the market.

The Xiaomi group is wide because it mixes budget Redmi phones with pricier Xiaomi and POCO models. Saying "it's a Xiaomi" tells you very little about the price.

• Ask for the full model name, such as Galaxy A15 or Redmi Note 13, not just the brand.
• Check storage and RAM in Settings, not on the box.
• For a Galaxy S Ultra, compare only with the same generation. An S23 and an S24 are tens of thousands of birr apart.

4. Business Laptops: The EliteBook Sets the Benchmark

• Dell Latitude: 42,000 ETB (27,875 to 70,875, 36 listings)
• HP EliteBook: 74,250 ETB (53,250 to 90,000, 190 listings)
• HP ProBook: 79,000 ETB (36,500 to 99,625, 40 listings)
• Lenovo ThinkPad T-series: 75,000 ETB (63,500 to 110,000, 39 listings)
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: 75,000 ETB (55,250 to 89,750, 23 listings)

The HP EliteBook was by far the most listed laptop family in this report, so its range is one of the most reliable numbers here. If you are shopping for a business laptop, it is a good yardstick.

The ProBook and Latitude ranges are wide for a simple reason: the same name covers machines several generations apart. An 8th-generation Core i5 and a 12th-generation Core i5 share a badge, not a value.

• Check the processor generation in Settings > System > About, not only "Core i5" or "Core i7."
• Confirm RAM and storage match the listing before you negotiate.
• Read our used laptop buying guide for battery, screen, and port checks.

5. Everyday, Gaming, and Apple Laptops

• HP Pavilion: 103,500 ETB (89,625 to 124,375, 110 listings)
• Asus TUF: 165,000 ETB (148,125 to 197,250, 14 listings)
• HP Victus: 186,000 ETB (158,750 to 206,000, 28 listings)
• Lenovo Legion: 205,500 ETB (187,000 to 290,000, 13 listings)
• MacBook Air M1: 113,000 ETB (110,000 to 120,000, 13 listings)

You may be surprised that the HP Pavilion asks more than the EliteBook. The likely reason is age: Pavilion listings include many recent consumer models, while many EliteBooks are older ex-office machines. A higher median does not make the Pavilion the better laptop.

"MacBook Pro M1" is really three different machines. In this period, most 13-inch M1 MacBook Pros from 2020 asked 120,000 to 162,000 ETB. The 14-inch and 16-inch M1 Pro models mostly asked 200,000 to 241,000 ETB. The 16-inch M1 Max asked 330,000 to 430,000 ETB, nearly three times the 13-inch model. Sellers often list all three with almost the same title.

6. When a Price Is Far Below the Range

A price well under the middle range is not automatically a scam, but it always needs a reason. In this period, several iPhone 14 Pro Max listings asked roughly half the usual price. Here is what usually sits behind a price like that:

• An activation lock or account lock the seller cannot remove.
• A replaced screen, battery, or other part, or a phone that has been opened for repair.
• Network restrictions that stop the phone from working with local SIM cards.
• A deposit price, or a different model used as bait to start a conversation.
• A seller who wants payment before you see the device.

• Ask directly why the price is low, and expect a specific answer.
• Inspect the device in person, in a calm public place, before any money moves.
• Walk away if the seller refuses inspection or keeps rushing you.

Our guide to safe meetups and payments explains how to handle the handover.

7. Use the Range to Negotiate, Whether You Buy or Sell

Buying? Find the model above and see where the listing falls. A price near the top of the range should come with something extra: more storage, a new battery, a box and receipt, or a written warranty. A price near the bottom should come with an honest explanation of its weaknesses.

Selling? Pricing far above the middle range usually means fewer calls. If your device really is better than average, say why in the listing. Battery health, storage, receipt, and box are all worth mentioning. Our guide on how to photograph and price items has more tips.

• Check the live phone and tablet price guides and computer and laptop price guides, which update as new listings arrive.
• Browse current phone listings and laptop listings for the exact model you want.
• Write the agreed price, condition, IMEI or serial number, and warranty on the receipt.

The Short Version

Know the exact model, storage, and condition. Compare with the middle range, not with one lucky listing. Expect an older Pro iPhone to hold its price. Treat a price far below the range as a question, not a gift. Inspect first, pay second.

Research note: Figures come from approved Phones & Tablets and Computers & Laptops listings on Addiyon first published between 10 September and 9 October 2026 (Addis Ababa time), including listings that have since closed. Asking prices from 5,000 to 500,000 ETB were included. Titles naming accessories or spare parts, such as cases, chargers, or motherboards, were left out, and the same seller posting the same title at the same price was counted once. Listings were grouped by title, so a group can still mix storage sizes, conditions, and generations. Listings come from across Ethiopia, not only Addis Ababa. Final negotiated prices are often lower, and nothing here is a valuation of a specific device.