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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,282 in Addis Ababa versus $836 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in Addis Ababa versus $1,195 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,478 in Addis Ababa versus $1,554 in Assela.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 53% more expensive than in Assela, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 7% lower, Assela 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ETB 659

$3.94 ETB 632

4.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.92 ETB 6,894

$43.27 ETB 6,949

-0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 ETB 1,036

$6.66 ETB 1,070

-3.15%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 153

$0.95 ETB 152

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

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.60 ETB 95.9

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$0.63 ETB 102

7.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ETB 132

$0.77 ETB 123

6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ETB 370

$2.28 ETB 366

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ETB 178

$1.07 ETB 172

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ETB 196

$1.20 ETB 193

1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 349

$2.11 ETB 338

2.84%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ETB 1,206

$7.27 ETB 1,167

3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 ETB 1,631

$10.10 ETB 1,621

0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 ETB 1,472

$9.16 ETB 1,471

0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ETB 843

$5.27 ETB 846

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.63 ETB 101

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 113

$0.67 ETB 107

4.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.0

$0.50 ETB 79.9

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.06 ETB 170

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.4

$0.57 ETB 91.4

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 ETB 1,291

$7.92 ETB 1,273

1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 913

$5.48 ETB 881

3.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ETB 108

$0.66 ETB 105

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 203

$1.23 ETB 198

3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 83.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.84 ETB 3,347

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ETB 216

$1.31 ETB 210

3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.58

$0.27 ETB 43.34

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 313

$1.99 ETB 319

-2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ETB 142

$0.97 ETB 156

-9.28%

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

$55.5K ETB 8.9M

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

2.25%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.9M

$54.9K ETB 8.8M

0.86%

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

$208 ETB 33.4K

0.16%

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

$7.26 ETB 1,166

$7.28 ETB 1,170

-0.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$211 ETB 33.8K

$210 ETB 33.8K

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.06 ETB 7,077

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 ETB 5,730

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 ETB 599

$3.86 ETB 620

-3.37%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

$29.7K ETB 4.8M

3.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.94 ETB 5,290

$33.35 ETB 5,356

-1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.2K

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

$79.5 ETB 12.8K

-2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ETB 13.3K

$83.1 ETB 13.3K

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ETB 115.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ETB 64.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 ETB 367.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ETB 121.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 ETB 313.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 ETB 160.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.2K

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 Addis Ababa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Assela: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $43.00 in Assela. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $210, with Assela cheaper for home cooking.

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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Assela differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,282 vs $836 including rent). Assela is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,923 in Addis Ababa and $1,254 in Assela to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,282 per month in Addis Ababa versus $836 in Assela – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Assela versus $1,282 in Addis Ababa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Addis Ababa and Assela are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.