Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Jimma

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,020 a month against $1,307 in Addis Ababa, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Addis Ababa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

63

Cost of Living Index in Addis Ababa
Learn more

Addis Ababa Living Index

Jump to prices

Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,307

/mo nomad

Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,020

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Addis Ababa and in Jimma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Addis Ababa and in Jimma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Addis Ababa versus $1,020 in Jimma.

Addis Ababa $1,307
Jimma $1,020

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,926 in Addis Ababa versus $1,406 in Jimma.

Addis Ababa $1,926
Jimma $1,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,544 in Addis Ababa versus $1,792 in Jimma.

Addis Ababa $2,544
Jimma $1,792

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 28% more expensive than in Jimma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 3% lower, Jimma 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ETB 630

$4.40 ETB 705

-10.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.93 ETB 6,730

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 ETB 1,072

Cappuccino

$0.88 ETB 142

$1.11 ETB 178

-20.72%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.58 ETB 93.3

8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.43 ETB 68.8

48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ETB 131

$2.86 ETB 458

-71.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ETB 365

$1.37 ETB 220

66.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.10 ETB 176

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ETB 195

$0.35 ETB 57.0

248.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ETB 357

$1.10 ETB 176

101.82%

Eggs

$1.76 ETB 282

$3.96 ETB 636

-55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 ETB 1,153

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 ETB 1,645

$11.18 ETB 1,795

-8.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 ETB 1,486

$11.29 ETB 1,812

-17.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 ETB 871

$2.18 ETB 349

148.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 104

$1.13 ETB 182

-42.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 352

$3.26 ETB 523

-32.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 112

$0.58 ETB 93.5

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.4

$0.58 ETB 93.2

-13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 167

$3.33 ETB 535

-68.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ETB 104

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ETB 97.0

$0.55 ETB 87.9

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 ETB 1,316

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 924

$6.79 ETB 1,089

-15.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$1.11 ETB 177

-38.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 204

$1.43 ETB 229

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 83.7

$0.21 ETB 33.58

147.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.49 ETB 3,449

$13.56 ETB 2,176

58.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 325

$1.70 ETB 273

18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 144

$1.70 ETB 273

-47.06%

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

$56.0K ETB 9.0M

$50.0K ETB 8.0M

11.94%

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

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

$56.2K ETB 9.0M

0.65%

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

$206 ETB 33.1K

$61.8 ETB 9,921

233.54%

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

$7.16 ETB 1,149

$36.05 ETB 5,786

-80.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$216 ETB 34.6K

$304 ETB 48.8K

-29.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.41 ETB 7,128

$33.49 ETB 5,375

32.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.94 ETB 5,929

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 ETB 599

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

$134 ETB 21.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.22 ETB 5,331

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 ETB 11.2K

$89.1 ETB 14.3K

-21.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ETB 12.7K

$132 ETB 21.1K

-39.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 ETB 13.5K

$112 ETB 18.1K

-25.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 ETB 114.1K

$205 ETB 33.0K

245.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ETB 62.8K

$156 ETB 25.0K

151.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 ETB 361.9K

$415 ETB 66.7K

442.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 ETB 126.2K

$311 ETB 49.9K

152.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 ETB 315.4K

$2,215 ETB 355.5K

-11.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 ETB 161.1K

$1,107 ETB 177.6K

-9.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.1K

$222 ETB 35.7K

-10.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

105.56%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jimma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Addis Ababa

$429 32.8%

Jimma

–

Accommodation & Living

Addis Ababa

$391 29.9%

Jimma

–

Groceries & Markets

Addis Ababa

$213 16.3%

Jimma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Addis Ababa

$120 9.2%

Jimma

–

Eating Out

Addis Ababa

$76 5.8%

Jimma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Addis Ababa

$52 4%

Jimma

–

Getting Around

Addis Ababa

$26 2%

Jimma

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $711 in Addis Ababa and $205 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.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Jimma

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

Same time as Addis Ababa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000 Capital

207,573

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Addis Ababa Jimma 260 km

From you

Addis Ababa
Jimma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,307 vs $1,020 including rent). Jimma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Jimma. 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: $711 in Addis Ababa versus $205 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 58% 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 $1,307 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,020 in Jimma – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,020 in Jimma versus $1,307 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 28% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.