Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Assela Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Assela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Adama vs $806 in Assela, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,770 per month in Adama vs $1,237 in Assela, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,429 per month in Adama vs $1,669 in Assela, rent included.

Adama costs about 38% more than Assela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Adama and Assela are more affordable than the global median – Adama 17% lower, Assela 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ETB 478

$4.60 ETB 725

-34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.22 ETB 5,551

$35.67 ETB 5,622

-1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ETB 790

$6.32 ETB 996

-20.73%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 194

$1.29 ETB 203

-4.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ETB 45.70

$0.43 ETB 68.3

-32.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ETB 155

$0.98 ETB 154

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ETB 478

$2.93 ETB 462

3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ETB 222

$1.44 ETB 228

-2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ETB 203

$1.32 ETB 209

-2.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ETB 335

$2.17 ETB 343

-1.84%

Eggs

$2.49 ETB 392

$2.46 ETB 388

1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 ETB 1,100

$7.00 ETB 1,104

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 ETB 2,171

$13.87 ETB 2,185

-0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 ETB 2,134

$13.40 ETB 2,112

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 ETB 1,072

$6.84 ETB 1,078

-0.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 163

$1.03 ETB 162

0.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 341

$2.19 ETB 345

-1.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 ETB 144

$0.97 ETB 153

-6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.1

$0.63 ETB 99.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ETB 297

$1.88 ETB 296

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 104

$0.70 ETB 110

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 107

$0.69 ETB 108

-1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ETB 636

$4.03 ETB 636

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ETB 876

$5.70 ETB 899

-2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ETB 165

$0.99 ETB 156

6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ETB 301

$1.84 ETB 290

3.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ETB 232

$1.45 ETB 228

1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.01

$0.27 ETB 42.53

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 307

$1.98 ETB 312

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ETB 206

$1.29 ETB 204

1.55%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$55.8K ETB 8.8M

$55.2K ETB 8.7M

1.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

-1.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$162 ETB 25.5K

$159 ETB 25.0K

1.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.17 ETB 1,917

$11.83 ETB 1,864

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.6K

-0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ETB 904

$5.77 ETB 910

-0.52%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$80.8 ETB 12.7K

$79.9 ETB 12.6K

1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K ETB 6.4M

$41.0K ETB 6.5M

-1.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.03 ETB 7,412

$46.94 ETB 7,398

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.6 ETB 11.7K

$75.1 ETB 11.8K

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 ETB 14.7K

$94.1 ETB 14.8K

-1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ETB 18.0K

$115 ETB 18.1K

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ETB 79.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ETB 46.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 ETB 154.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 ETB 127.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 ETB 15.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Adama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Assela: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Adama versus $36.00 in Assela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $268 – making Adama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Adama vs Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,111 in Adama, $806 in Assela – roughly 38% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,666 per month in Adama and $1,208 in Assela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Adama and $36.00 in Assela. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Adama – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Assela, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Adama at $1,111. In Assela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Adama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Assela – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Assela. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Adama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.