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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,117 per month in Adama vs $808 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,772 per month in Adama vs $1,210 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,427 per month in Adama vs $1,613 in Hawassa, rent included.

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

Both Adama and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Adama 16% lower, Hawassa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 ETB 460

$4.46 ETB 705

-34.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 ETB 5,431

$34.56 ETB 5,460

-0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ETB 811

$6.62 ETB 1,046

-22.51%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 194

$1.27 ETB 201

-3.15%

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

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.67 ETB 106

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ETB 49.35

$0.47 ETB 73.7

-34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ETB 163

$1.03 ETB 162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ETB 476

$2.95 ETB 467

2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 219

$1.44 ETB 228

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 211

$1.34 ETB 212

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 348

$1.01 ETB 160

117.82%

Eggs

$2.50 ETB 395

$1.52 ETB 240

64.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 ETB 1,163

$6.94 ETB 1,097

6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 ETB 2,171

$14.00 ETB 2,213

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ETB 2,094

$13.05 ETB 2,062

1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 ETB 1,047

$6.76 ETB 1,068

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$2.25 ETB 355

-3.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 ETB 144

$0.93 ETB 146

-2.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 109

$0.67 ETB 106

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 ETB 299

$1.84 ETB 291

2.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 104

$0.69 ETB 109

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 99.4

$0.63 ETB 100

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 ETB 618

$4.07 ETB 642

-3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ETB 869

$5.53 ETB 874

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 158

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ETB 289

$1.89 ETB 298

-3.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ETB 234

$1.49 ETB 236

-0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.38

$0.29 ETB 46.36

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 318

$2.02 ETB 319

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ETB 197

$1.29 ETB 204

-3.10%

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

$56.1K ETB 8.9M

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

1.32%

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

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

$54.5K ETB 8.6M

-1.41%

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

$162 ETB 25.6K

-0.27%

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

$12.11 ETB 1,913

$11.77 ETB 1,860

2.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

-0.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 ETB 887

$5.76 ETB 909

-2.43%

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

$81.2 ETB 12.8K

$80.4 ETB 12.7K

1.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K ETB 6.4M

$39.9K ETB 6.3M

1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.23 ETB 7,463

$47.00 ETB 7,426

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.4 ETB 12.1K

$74.7 ETB 11.8K

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 ETB 14.8K

0.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ETB 17.8K

$112 ETB 17.7K

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 ETB 79.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 ETB 46.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 ETB 158.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 ETB 127.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$506 ETB 80.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 ETB 16.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Adama: June 14, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Adama versus $35.00 in Hawassa. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Adama vs $257 in Hawassa – so Hawassa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,117 in Adama, $808 in Hawassa – roughly 38% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,675 per month in Adama and $1,212 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 $34.00 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 $808, than in Adama at $1,117. 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.