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: $1,389 in Addis Ababa versus $823 in Hawassa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,095 in Addis Ababa versus $1,230 in Hawassa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Addis Ababa versus $1,637 in Hawassa.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 69% more expensive than in Hawassa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 4% above, Hawassa is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 704

$4.46 ETB 713

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 ETB 5,642

$34.65 ETB 5,534

1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 ETB 1,023

$6.53 ETB 1,044

-1.99%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ETB 206

$1.28 ETB 205

0.78%

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

$0.69 ETB 110

$0.64 ETB 103

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 70.1

$0.44 ETB 69.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ETB 487

$3.06 ETB 488

-0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 232

$1.39 ETB 223

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 213

$1.33 ETB 213

0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ETB 342

$0.99 ETB 158

116.16%

Eggs

$2.41 ETB 386

$1.58 ETB 253

52.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 ETB 1,161

$7.01 ETB 1,119

3.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.64 ETB 2,178

$13.95 ETB 2,227

-2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 ETB 2,149

$13.27 ETB 2,118

1.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 ETB 1,066

$6.81 ETB 1,088

-1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ETB 154

$1.03 ETB 165

-6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ETB 357

$2.28 ETB 364

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ETB 148

$1.00 ETB 159

-7.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.63 ETB 100

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ETB 304

$1.91 ETB 306

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$0.70 ETB 112

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.63 ETB 101

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ETB 651

$3.88 ETB 620

5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 ETB 899

$5.46 ETB 871

3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 158

$1.00 ETB 159

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 293

$1.92 ETB 307

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ETB 65.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.09 ETB 1,931

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ETB 227

$1.50 ETB 240

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.48

$0.27 ETB 42.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 321

$1.97 ETB 314

2.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 199

$1.30 ETB 208

-4.62%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

0.02%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.7M

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

0.23%

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

$162 ETB 25.9K

$156 ETB 25.0K

3.56%

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

$12.08 ETB 1,928

$11.85 ETB 1,892

1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 ETB 20.8K

$130 ETB 20.7K

0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 ETB 11.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.15 ETB 5,773

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 ETB 892

$5.61 ETB 895

-0.36%

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

$80.3 ETB 12.8K

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

-2.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.8K ETB 6.5M

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.35 ETB 7,402

$47.78 ETB 7,630

-2.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.4 ETB 12.2K

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 ETB 14.8K

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 18.0K

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ETB 119.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ETB 80.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 ETB 289.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 ETB 144.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,982 ETB 316.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 ETB 160.9K

$501 ETB 80.0K

101.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Addis Ababa vs $35.00 in Hawassa. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $258, 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,389 vs $823 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,084 in Addis Ababa and $1,234 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 $1,389 per month in Addis Ababa versus $823 in Hawassa – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $823 in Hawassa versus $1,389 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 69% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.