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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,032 per month in Adama vs $836 in Assela, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,685 per month in Adama vs $1,195 in Assela, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,338 per month in Adama vs $1,554 in Assela, rent included.

Adama costs about 23% more than Assela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Adama and Assela are more affordable than the global median – Adama 25% lower, Assela 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ETB 476

$3.94 ETB 632

-24.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.08 ETB 6,758

$43.27 ETB 6,949

-2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 ETB 807

$6.66 ETB 1,070

-24.62%

Cappuccino

$0.88 ETB 142

$0.95 ETB 152

-7.37%

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

$0.59 ETB 95.1

$0.60 ETB 95.9

-1.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ETB 50.0

$0.63 ETB 102

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 126

$0.77 ETB 123

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ETB 357

$2.28 ETB 366

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 ETB 131

$1.07 ETB 172

-23.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ETB 196

$1.20 ETB 193

1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 340

$2.11 ETB 338

0.47%

Eggs

$1.81 ETB 291

$1.72 ETB 277

5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ETB 1,173

$7.27 ETB 1,167

0.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 ETB 1,601

$10.10 ETB 1,621

-1.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 ETB 1,500

$9.16 ETB 1,471

1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 ETB 845

$5.27 ETB 846

-0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 111

$0.63 ETB 101

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ETB 344

$2.20 ETB 353

-2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 ETB 114

$0.67 ETB 107

5.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ETB 73.7

$0.50 ETB 79.9

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 174

$1.06 ETB 170

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ETB 104

$0.66 ETB 106

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.1

$0.57 ETB 91.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 ETB 1,273

$7.92 ETB 1,273

0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.52 ETB 886

$5.48 ETB 881

0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

$0.66 ETB 105

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ETB 195

$1.23 ETB 198

-1.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ETB 215

$1.31 ETB 210

2.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.00

$0.27 ETB 43.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 326

$1.99 ETB 319

2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ETB 142

$0.97 ETB 156

-8.25%

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

$55.3K ETB 8.9M

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

1.82%

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

$56.2K ETB 9.0M

$54.9K ETB 8.8M

2.41%

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

$206 ETB 33.1K

$208 ETB 33.4K

-0.95%

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

$7.19 ETB 1,155

$7.28 ETB 1,170

-1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$212 ETB 34.0K

$210 ETB 33.8K

0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 ETB 611

$3.86 ETB 620

-1.30%

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

$136 ETB 21.8K

$137 ETB 22.0K

-0.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ETB 4.8M

$29.7K ETB 4.8M

1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.57 ETB 5,391

$33.35 ETB 5,356

0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.4 ETB 11.5K

$70.0 ETB 11.2K

1.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ETB 12.4K

$79.5 ETB 12.8K

-2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 ETB 13.1K

$83.1 ETB 13.3K

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ETB 56.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ETB 32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 ETB 160.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 ETB 127.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 ETB 16.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

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

Last update for Adama: August 29, 2026

Last update for Assela: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Adama versus $43.00 in Assela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $210 – 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: $1,032 in Adama, $836 in Assela – roughly 23% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,548 per month in Adama and $1,254 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 $42.00 in Adama and $43.00 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 $836, than in Adama at $1,032. 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.