Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Hawassa Cost of Living Comparison Between Adama and Hawassa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,114 per month in Adama vs $822 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,756 per month in Adama vs $1,230 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Adama vs $1,638 in Hawassa, rent included.

Adama costs about 36% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Adama and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Adama 17% lower, Hawassa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ETB 477

$4.41 ETB 689

-30.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.58 ETB 5,561

$35.09 ETB 5,484

1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ETB 788

$6.58 ETB 1,029

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ETB 201

$1.23 ETB 193

4.07%

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

$0.67 ETB 105

$0.64 ETB 100

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ETB 48.66

$0.43 ETB 67.5

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ETB 158

$1.02 ETB 160

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ETB 463

$2.97 ETB 464

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ETB 228

$1.39 ETB 218

5.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ETB 199

$1.34 ETB 209

-5.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 332

$1.03 ETB 161

105.83%

Eggs

$2.52 ETB 393

$1.60 ETB 251

57.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 ETB 1,137

$7.21 ETB 1,127

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 ETB 2,145

$13.92 ETB 2,175

-1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ETB 2,091

$13.28 ETB 2,075

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 ETB 1,061

$6.76 ETB 1,057

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 160

$0.97 ETB 152

5.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ETB 349

$2.16 ETB 338

3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 ETB 144

$0.90 ETB 141

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 98.2

$0.67 ETB 105

-5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 299

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 110

$0.68 ETB 107

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 98.5

$0.63 ETB 98.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ETB 613

$4.02 ETB 629

-2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 ETB 896

$5.76 ETB 900

-0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 162

$1.00 ETB 156

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ETB 284

$1.84 ETB 288

-1.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ETB 226

$1.49 ETB 233

-2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 45.92

$0.27 ETB 42.05

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 317

$2.05 ETB 320

-0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ETB 202

$1.24 ETB 194

4.84%

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

$54.4K ETB 8.5M

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

-1.26%

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

$54.8K ETB 8.6M

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

3.40%

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

$162 ETB 25.3K

$158 ETB 24.7K

2.58%

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

$12.16 ETB 1,900

$11.98 ETB 1,872

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ETB 20.8K

$131 ETB 20.5K

1.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ETB 917

$5.54 ETB 866

5.96%

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

$79.7 ETB 12.5K

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K ETB 6.2M

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

-2.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.05 ETB 7,509

$47.79 ETB 7,470

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.0 ETB 11.6K

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ETB 14.7K

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.1K

$116 ETB 18.2K

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ETB 77.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ETB 47.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ETB 153.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ETB 127.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 ETB 78.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Adama versus $35.00 in Hawassa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $258 – making Hawassa 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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,114 in Adama, $822 in Hawassa – roughly 36% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,671 per month in Adama and $1,232 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Adama, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Adama at $1,114. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Adama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Hawassa. 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.