Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Adama Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Adama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,383 per month in Addis Ababa vs $1,111 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,083 per month in Addis Ababa vs $1,770 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,783 per month in Addis Ababa vs $2,429 in Adama, rent included.

Addis Ababa costs about 25% more than Adama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Addis Ababa sits 3% above the global median, while Adama is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ETB 718

$3.03 ETB 478

50.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ETB 5,522

$35.22 ETB 5,551

-0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 ETB 1,010

$5.01 ETB 790

27.94%

Cappuccino

$1.24 ETB 196

$1.23 ETB 194

0.81%

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

$0.69 ETB 109

$0.64 ETB 101

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.7

$0.29 ETB 45.70

48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 156

$0.98 ETB 155

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 468

$3.03 ETB 478

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.41 ETB 222

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 210

$1.29 ETB 203

3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$2.13 ETB 335

1.88%

Eggs

$2.43 ETB 383

$2.49 ETB 392

-2.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ETB 1,148

$6.98 ETB 1,100

4.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 ETB 2,164

$13.77 ETB 2,171

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ETB 2,063

$13.54 ETB 2,134

-3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 ETB 1,053

$6.80 ETB 1,072

-1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 154

$1.04 ETB 163

-5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$2.16 ETB 341

1.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 157

$0.91 ETB 144

8.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 107

$0.63 ETB 99.1

7.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 286

$1.88 ETB 297

-3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.66 ETB 104

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.68 ETB 107

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 633

$4.04 ETB 636

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 909

$5.56 ETB 876

3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.05 ETB 165

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 298

$1.91 ETB 301

-1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ETB 67.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 ETB 1,925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ETB 234

$1.47 ETB 232

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.16

$0.29 ETB 46.01

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 323

$1.95 ETB 307

5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 195

$1.31 ETB 206

-5.34%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

$55.8K ETB 8.8M

-0.67%

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

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

0.46%

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

$157 ETB 24.8K

$162 ETB 25.5K

-2.78%

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

$12.11 ETB 1,908

$12.17 ETB 1,917

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.3K

$131 ETB 20.6K

-1.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.71 ETB 5,786

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ETB 923

$5.74 ETB 904

2.09%

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

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

$80.8 ETB 12.7K

0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

$40.5K ETB 6.4M

1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 ETB 7,377

$47.03 ETB 7,412

-0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

$74.6 ETB 11.7K

-0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

$93.0 ETB 14.7K

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.2K

$114 ETB 18.0K

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ETB 119.5K

$506 ETB 79.7K

49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ETB 78.0K

$296 ETB 46.7K

67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

$983 ETB 154.9K

85.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ETB 140.2K

$806 ETB 127.1K

10.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 32.5K

$101 ETB 15.9K

104.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Adama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Addis Ababa versus $506 in Adama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 105% higher in Addis Ababa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Addis Ababa versus $35.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $266 – making Addis Ababa 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

Addis Ababa vs Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,383 in Addis Ababa, $1,111 in Adama – roughly 25% apart. Addis Ababa costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,075 per month in Addis Ababa and $1,666 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Addis Ababa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Adama, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Addis Ababa at $1,383. In Adama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Addis Ababa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Adama – 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 Adama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Addis Ababa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.