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: $1,401 in Addis Ababa versus $793 in Hawassa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,085 in Addis Ababa versus $1,222 in Hawassa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,770 in Addis Ababa versus $1,650 in Hawassa.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 77% more expensive than Hawassa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 4% above, Hawassa is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 ETB 713

$4.45 ETB 705

1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.53 ETB 5,473

$35.62 ETB 5,645

-3.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 ETB 1,019

$6.63 ETB 1,051

-3.02%

Cappuccino

$1.24 ETB 197

$1.25 ETB 198

-0.80%

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

$0.69 ETB 110

$0.63 ETB 99.5

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ETB 74.7

$0.43 ETB 68.9

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ETB 163

$1.02 ETB 162

0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ETB 461

$2.99 ETB 474

-2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.45 ETB 230

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ETB 206

$1.30 ETB 205

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ETB 333

$1.02 ETB 162

105.88%

Eggs

$2.41 ETB 382

$1.53 ETB 243

57.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 ETB 1,157

$6.99 ETB 1,108

4.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 ETB 2,185

$13.85 ETB 2,196

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 ETB 2,115

$13.16 ETB 2,086

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,071

$6.79 ETB 1,076

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 154

$0.97 ETB 153

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 342

$2.16 ETB 343

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 154

$0.98 ETB 155

-1.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 107

$0.69 ETB 109

-2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ETB 302

$1.81 ETB 288

4.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.70 ETB 111

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.64 ETB 101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ETB 618

$4.09 ETB 648

-4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 ETB 883

$5.56 ETB 881

0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 164

$1.00 ETB 159

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ETB 293

$1.91 ETB 303

-3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.14 ETB 1,924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ETB 229

$1.43 ETB 227

1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.74

$0.29 ETB 46.44

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 323

$1.95 ETB 309

4.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ETB 204

$1.23 ETB 196

4.88%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

-0.50%

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

$53.0K ETB 8.4M

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

-2.55%

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

$158 ETB 25.1K

$161 ETB 25.6K

-1.88%

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

$11.79 ETB 1,868

$11.88 ETB 1,882

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$132 ETB 20.9K

$129 ETB 20.4K

2.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.3 ETB 11.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.95 ETB 5,699

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ETB 907

$5.78 ETB 917

-1.04%

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

$82.2 ETB 13.0K

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K ETB 6.5M

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.01 ETB 7,610

$47.67 ETB 7,556

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.7 ETB 12.0K

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 17.9K

$116 ETB 18.4K

-2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ETB 118.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ETB 79.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 ETB 283.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 ETB 143.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ETB 313.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,021 ETB 161.9K

$500 ETB 79.3K

104.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 ETB 32.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Addis Ababa vs $36.00 in Hawassa. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $257, 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 77% in total monthly costs ($1,401 vs $793 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,101 in Addis Ababa and $1,190 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 3% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,401 per month in Addis Ababa versus $793 in Hawassa – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $793 in Hawassa versus $1,401 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 77% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.