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: $1,379 in Addis Ababa versus $822 in Hawassa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,062 in Addis Ababa versus $1,230 in Hawassa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Addis Ababa versus $1,638 in Hawassa.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 68% more expensive than Hawassa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 3% above, Hawassa is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 690

$4.41 ETB 689

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 ETB 5,536

$35.09 ETB 5,484

0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 ETB 1,038

$6.58 ETB 1,029

0.91%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ETB 195

$1.23 ETB 193

1.63%

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

$0.68 ETB 106

$0.64 ETB 100

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 68.5

$0.43 ETB 67.5

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 154

$1.02 ETB 160

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ETB 478

$2.97 ETB 464

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ETB 224

$1.39 ETB 218

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ETB 201

$1.34 ETB 209

-3.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ETB 331

$1.03 ETB 161

105.83%

Eggs

$2.51 ETB 392

$1.60 ETB 251

56.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 ETB 1,097

$7.21 ETB 1,127

-2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 ETB 2,158

$13.92 ETB 2,175

-0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 ETB 2,065

$13.28 ETB 2,075

-0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.65 ETB 1,040

$6.76 ETB 1,057

-1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 161

$0.97 ETB 152

6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 343

$2.16 ETB 338

1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 151

$0.90 ETB 141

7.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ETB 99.8

$0.67 ETB 105

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ETB 287

$1.91 ETB 299

-3.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ETB 99.7

$0.68 ETB 107

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ETB 105

$0.63 ETB 98.1

6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ETB 642

$4.02 ETB 629

2.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 901

$5.76 ETB 900

0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ETB 164

$1.00 ETB 156

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ETB 284

$1.84 ETB 288

-1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 68.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 ETB 1,901

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 224

$1.49 ETB 233

-4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 45.48

$0.27 ETB 42.05

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 307

$2.05 ETB 320

-3.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 194

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

$55.9K ETB 8.7M

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

1.49%

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

$53.3K ETB 8.3M

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

0.60%

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

$159 ETB 24.8K

$158 ETB 24.7K

0.42%

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

$12.05 ETB 1,884

$11.98 ETB 1,872

0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$132 ETB 20.6K

$131 ETB 20.5K

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 ETB 10.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.15 ETB 5,650

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ETB 898

$5.54 ETB 866

3.61%

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

$80.4 ETB 12.6K

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

-1.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K ETB 6.4M

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

-0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.94 ETB 7,493

$47.79 ETB 7,470

0.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 ETB 11.6K

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 ETB 14.4K

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 17.6K

$116 ETB 18.2K

-3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ETB 116.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ETB 79.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,793 ETB 280.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ETB 141.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,920 ETB 300.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,022 ETB 159.8K

$503 ETB 78.5K

103.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 ETB 31.5K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: April 25, 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 68% in total monthly costs ($1,379 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 $2,068 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 3% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Addis Ababa versus $822 in Hawassa – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in Hawassa versus $1,379 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 68% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.