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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Adama vs $823 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,693 per month in Adama vs $1,195 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,380 per month in Adama vs $1,567 in Hawassa, rent included.

Adama costs about 22% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Adama and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Adama 26% lower, Hawassa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 ETB 491

$4.01 ETB 645

-23.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.54 ETB 6,834

$42.04 ETB 6,754

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ETB 815

$6.38 ETB 1,026

-20.53%

Cappuccino

$0.90 ETB 144

$0.91 ETB 146

-1.10%

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

$0.60 ETB 96.3

$0.62 ETB 100

-3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ETB 49.92

$0.68 ETB 109

-54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 124

$0.79 ETB 127

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ETB 357

$2.23 ETB 359

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ETB 135

$1.06 ETB 170

-20.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ETB 190

$1.21 ETB 194

-2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 341

$1.03 ETB 165

105.83%

Eggs

$1.75 ETB 281

$1.54 ETB 247

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ETB 1,213

$7.22 ETB 1,160

4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 ETB 1,652

$9.91 ETB 1,593

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 ETB 1,502

$9.30 ETB 1,493

0.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 ETB 850

$5.31 ETB 853

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 104

$0.69 ETB 110

-5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ETB 343

$2.20 ETB 353

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 105

$0.70 ETB 112

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ETB 73.6

$0.50 ETB 80.7

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ETB 169

$1.10 ETB 176

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ETB 104

$0.68 ETB 110

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ETB 97.3

$0.57 ETB 92.4

7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 ETB 1,313

$7.89 ETB 1,267

3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.54 ETB 889

$5.74 ETB 922

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ETB 114

$0.66 ETB 106

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ETB 206

$1.23 ETB 198

4.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 207

$1.29 ETB 208

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.93

$0.29 ETB 46.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ETB 315

$2.03 ETB 326

-3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

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

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

$55.1K ETB 8.9M

-0.96%

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

$56.0K ETB 9.0M

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

2.52%

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

$204 ETB 32.7K

$203 ETB 32.7K

0.13%

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

$7.22 ETB 1,160

$7.42 ETB 1,191

-2.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$212 ETB 34.1K

$210 ETB 33.7K

1.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 ETB 585

$3.68 ETB 592

-1.09%

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

$138 ETB 22.2K

$134 ETB 21.6K

2.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.7K ETB 4.9M

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.59 ETB 5,396

$33.25 ETB 5,342

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 ETB 11.4K

$71.7 ETB 11.5K

-1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 ETB 13.1K

$83.8 ETB 13.5K

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 ETB 55.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ETB 31.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ETB 157.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ETB 131.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 ETB 79.9K

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Adama versus $42.00 in Hawassa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $206 – 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: $1,006 in Adama, $823 in Hawassa – roughly 22% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,509 per month in Adama and $1,234 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 $43.00 in Adama and $42.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Adama, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,006 in Adama and $823 in Hawassa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.