Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $375 a month against $1,307 in Addis Ababa, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Addis Ababa
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Addis Ababa Living Index

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Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,307

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$375

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Addis Ababa and in Bahir Dar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Addis Ababa and in Bahir Dar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Addis Ababa versus $375 in Bahir Dar.

Addis Ababa $1,307
Bahir Dar $375

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,926 in Addis Ababa versus $569 in Bahir Dar.

Addis Ababa $1,926
Bahir Dar $569

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,544 in Addis Ababa versus $763 in Bahir Dar.

Addis Ababa $2,544
Bahir Dar $763

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 249% more expensive than in Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 3% lower, Bahir Dar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ETB 630

$3.51 ETB 564

11.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.93 ETB 6,730

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 ETB 1,072

Cappuccino

$0.88 ETB 142

$0.99 ETB 159

-11.11%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.41 ETB 66.0

53.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.52 ETB 83.9

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ETB 131

$0.72 ETB 116

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ETB 365

$2.01 ETB 323

13.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ETB 170

$0.99 ETB 158

7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ETB 195

$0.98 ETB 157

24.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ETB 357

$1.03 ETB 165

115.53%

Eggs

$1.76 ETB 282

$1.72 ETB 276

2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 ETB 1,153

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 ETB 1,645

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 ETB 1,486

$10.04 ETB 1,612

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 ETB 871

$2.92 ETB 468

85.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 104

$1.02 ETB 164

-36.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 352

$2.05 ETB 329

6.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 112

$0.83 ETB 133

-15.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.4

$0.63 ETB 101

-20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 167

$1.12 ETB 180

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ETB 104

$1.02 ETB 164

-36.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ETB 97.0

$0.51 ETB 82.2

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 ETB 1,316

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 924

$3.90 ETB 626

47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$0.84 ETB 134

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 204

$1.97 ETB 316

-35.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 83.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.49 ETB 3,449

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.70

$0.48 ETB 76.9

-39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 325

$2.02 ETB 324

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 144

$1.02 ETB 164

-11.76%

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

$56.0K ETB 9.0M

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

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

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

$206 ETB 33.1K

$102 ETB 16.4K

102.34%

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

$7.16 ETB 1,149

$9.82 ETB 1,576

-27.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$216 ETB 34.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.41 ETB 7,128

$50.9 ETB 8,167

-12.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.94 ETB 5,929

$60.5 ETB 9,711

-38.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 ETB 599

$5.90 ETB 947

-36.78%

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

$134 ETB 21.5K

$49.85 ETB 8,001

168.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.22 ETB 5,331

$50.1 ETB 8,032

-33.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 ETB 11.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ETB 12.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 ETB 13.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 ETB 114.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ETB 62.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 ETB 361.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 ETB 126.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 ETB 315.4K

$1,988 ETB 319.1K

-1.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 ETB 161.1K

$1,476 ETB 237.0K

-32.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.1K

-0.17%

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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Addis Ababa

$429 32.8%

Bahir Dar

–

Accommodation & Living

Addis Ababa

$391 29.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Addis Ababa

$213 16.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Addis Ababa

$120 9.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Addis Ababa

$76 5.8%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Addis Ababa

$52 4%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Addis Ababa

$26 2%

Bahir Dar

–

Cost Breakdown

Bahir Dar pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

19:45 7:45 PM

Same time as Addis Ababa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000 Capital

350,000

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Addis Ababa Bahir Dar 320 km

From you

Addis Ababa
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar differ by about 249% in total monthly costs ($1,307 vs $375 including rent). Bahir Dar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Bahir Dar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $134 in Addis Ababa versus $49.85 in Bahir Dar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,307 per month in Addis Ababa versus $375 in Bahir Dar – a 249% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Bahir Dar versus $1,307 in Addis Ababa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bahir Dar but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Bahir Dar 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 Bahir Dar 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 Bahir Dar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.