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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,310 in Addis Ababa versus $822 in Hawassa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,940 in Addis Ababa versus $1,202 in Hawassa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,571 in Addis Ababa versus $1,582 in Hawassa.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 59% more expensive than in Hawassa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 5% lower, Hawassa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 ETB 632

$3.98 ETB 640

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.97 ETB 6,747

$43.30 ETB 6,961

-3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 ETB 1,028

$6.63 ETB 1,065

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$0.96 ETB 155

$0.90 ETB 144

6.67%

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

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.58 ETB 93.5

8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ETB 110

$0.64 ETB 102

7.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 125

$0.81 ETB 131

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ETB 355

$2.23 ETB 358

-0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ETB 169

$1.11 ETB 178

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 195

$1.21 ETB 194

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ETB 337

$0.98 ETB 158

114.29%

Eggs

$1.74 ETB 279

$1.60 ETB 258

8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ETB 1,177

$7.18 ETB 1,154

1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 ETB 1,618

$10.17 ETB 1,634

-0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ETB 1,467

$9.13 ETB 1,468

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 ETB 852

$5.46 ETB 877

-2.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 110

$0.64 ETB 103

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 346

$2.24 ETB 361

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.5

$0.50 ETB 80.7

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ETB 176

$1.09 ETB 175

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 110

$0.69 ETB 111

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ETB 90.8

$0.61 ETB 98.7

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 ETB 1,256

$8.22 ETB 1,321

-4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.52 ETB 887

$5.48 ETB 881

0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ETB 195

$1.27 ETB 204

-4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ETB 82.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 ETB 3,413

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ETB 216

$1.31 ETB 210

2.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 47.08

$0.27 ETB 42.85

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 323

$2.05 ETB 330

-1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ETB 152

$0.96 ETB 155

-2.08%

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

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

$54.2K ETB 8.7M

2.75%

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

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

$54.5K ETB 8.8M

3.71%

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

$204 ETB 32.8K

$207 ETB 33.3K

-1.45%

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

$7.41 ETB 1,191

$7.44 ETB 1,196

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$209 ETB 33.6K

$216 ETB 34.8K

-3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 ETB 6,965

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.34 ETB 5,842

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 ETB 612

$3.67 ETB 590

3.81%

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

$135 ETB 21.6K

$135 ETB 21.8K

-0.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ETB 4.9M

$29.6K ETB 4.8M

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.41 ETB 5,371

$33.27 ETB 5,349

0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 ETB 11.3K

$69.8 ETB 11.2K

1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

$77.5 ETB 12.5K

1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ETB 13.2K

$81.4 ETB 13.1K

0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ETB 113.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ETB 63.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 ETB 363.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 ETB 122.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ETB 317.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 ETB 163.3K

$491 ETB 79.0K

106.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ETB 32.4K

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Addis Ababa vs $43.00 in Hawassa. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $208, with Hawassa 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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Hawassa differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,310 vs $822 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,965 in Addis Ababa and $1,232 in Hawassa 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 $1,310 per month in Addis Ababa versus $822 in Hawassa – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in Hawassa versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawassa but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Hawassa 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.

Expats usually find Hawassa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.