Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $375 a month against $1,026 in Adama, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Adama
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Adama Living Index

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Adama

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,026

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$375

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Adama and in Bahir Dar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Adama and in Bahir Dar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,026 per month in Adama vs $375 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Adama $1,026
Bahir Dar $375

A couple spends around $1,689 per month in Adama vs $569 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Adama $1,689
Bahir Dar $569

A family of three spends $2,353 per month in Adama vs $763 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Adama $2,353
Bahir Dar $763

Adama costs about 174% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Adama and Bahir Dar are more affordable than the global median – Adama 24% lower, Bahir Dar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ETB 493

$3.51 ETB 564

-12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.20 ETB 6,933

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ETB 798

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 153

$0.99 ETB 159

-4.04%

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

$0.62 ETB 99.8

$0.41 ETB 66.0

51.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ETB 46.37

$0.52 ETB 83.9

-44.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ETB 132

$0.72 ETB 116

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ETB 372

$2.01 ETB 323

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ETB 124

$0.99 ETB 158

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ETB 187

$0.98 ETB 157

18.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ETB 342

$1.03 ETB 165

106.80%

Eggs

$1.75 ETB 281

$1.72 ETB 276

1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ETB 1,174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 ETB 1,627

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ETB 1,465

$10.04 ETB 1,612

-9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 ETB 848

$2.92 ETB 468

81.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 108

$1.02 ETB 164

-34.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ETB 344

$2.05 ETB 329

4.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 ETB 114

$0.83 ETB 133

-14.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.1

$0.63 ETB 101

-20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 168

$1.12 ETB 180

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$1.02 ETB 164

-32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ETB 96.8

$0.51 ETB 82.2

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 ETB 1,266

Wine (Bottle)

$5.60 ETB 899

$3.90 ETB 626

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.84 ETB 134

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ETB 206

$1.97 ETB 316

-34.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ETB 214

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.79

$0.48 ETB 76.9

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 326

$2.02 ETB 324

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ETB 147

$1.02 ETB 164

-9.80%

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

$54.2K ETB 8.7M

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

$55.0K ETB 8.8M

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

$205 ETB 32.8K

$102 ETB 16.4K

100.73%

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

$7.39 ETB 1,186

$9.82 ETB 1,576

-24.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$213 ETB 34.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ETB 8,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.5 ETB 9,711

Cinema Ticket

$3.80 ETB 609

$5.90 ETB 947

-35.59%

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

$135 ETB 21.7K

$49.85 ETB 8,001

170.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.80 ETB 5,424

$50.1 ETB 8,032

-32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 ETB 11.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 ETB 13.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ETB 56.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 ETB 32.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ETB 161.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 ETB 128.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,988 ETB 319.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ETB 237.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$98.3 ETB 15.8K

$200 ETB 32.1K

-50.89%

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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Adama

$425 41.4%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Adama

$208 20.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Accommodation & Living

Adama

$199 19.4%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Adama

$120 11.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Adama

$63 6.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Adama

$7.6 * 0.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Adama

$2.7 * 0.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 104% higher in Bahir Dar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Adama

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

19:46 7:46 PM

Same time as Adama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

228,623

350,000

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Adama Bahir Dar 400 km

From you

Adama
Bahir Dar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,026 in Adama, $375 in Bahir Dar – roughly 174% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,539 per month in Adama and $562 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Adama and $49.85 in Bahir Dar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,026 in Adama and $375 in Bahir Dar. That's a gap of about 174%.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,026 in Adama and $375 in Bahir Dar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bahir Dar – 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 Bahir Dar. 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.