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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $1,034 in Jimma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Addis Ababa versus $1,424 in Jimma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Addis Ababa versus $1,814 in Jimma.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 34% more expensive than Jimma, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 3% above, Jimma is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ETB 718

$4.51 ETB 710

0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ETB 5,522

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 ETB 1,010

Cappuccino

$1.24 ETB 196

$1.18 ETB 187

5.08%

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

$0.69 ETB 109

$0.57 ETB 89.1

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.7

$0.48 ETB 75.8

-10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.20 ETB 189

-17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 468

$1.48 ETB 233

100.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.19 ETB 187

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 210

$0.37 ETB 57.7

259.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$1.13 ETB 179

92.04%

Eggs

$2.43 ETB 383

$4.15 ETB 655

-41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ETB 1,148

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 ETB 2,164

$11.48 ETB 1,810

19.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ETB 2,063

$11.72 ETB 1,847

11.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 ETB 1,053

$2.25 ETB 354

196.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 154

$1.18 ETB 186

-16.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$3.43 ETB 540

-36.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 157

$0.61 ETB 95.5

62.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 107

$0.55 ETB 86.8

23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 286

$3.37 ETB 531

-46.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 108

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.56 ETB 88.0

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 633

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 909

$7.07 ETB 1,114

-18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.14 ETB 179

-13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 298

$1.47 ETB 231

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ETB 67.9

$0.22 ETB 34.51

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 ETB 1,925

$13.79 ETB 2,173

-11.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ETB 234

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 323

$1.75 ETB 276

17.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 195

$1.78 ETB 280

-30.34%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

$52.9K ETB 8.3M

4.86%

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

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

$57.5K ETB 9.1M

-6.07%

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

$157 ETB 24.8K

$62.7 ETB 9,877

150.76%

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

$12.11 ETB 1,908

$15.52 ETB 2,445

-21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.3K

$315 ETB 49.6K

-59.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

$34.69 ETB 5,467

100.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.71 ETB 5,786

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ETB 923

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

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 ETB 7,377

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

$91.6 ETB 14.4K

-19.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

$140 ETB 22.1K

-33.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.2K

$118 ETB 18.5K

-1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ETB 119.5K

$218 ETB 34.3K

248.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ETB 78.0K

$162 ETB 25.5K

206.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

$432 ETB 68.1K

321.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ETB 140.2K

$321 ETB 50.6K

177.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

$2,286 ETB 360.3K

-13.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

$1,186 ETB 186.9K

-14.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 32.5K

$229 ETB 36.1K

-9.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

88.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jimma: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Addis Ababa and $218 in Jimma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jimma pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Jimma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Jimma differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,383 vs $1,034 including rent). Jimma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Jimma earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $758 in Addis Ababa versus $218 in Jimma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jimma runs roughly 13% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $1,383 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,034 in Jimma – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Jimma versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jimma but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Jimma 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 Jimma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.