Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Adama Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Adama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Assela vs $1,032 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Assela vs $1,685 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,554 per month in Assela vs $2,338 in Adama, rent included.

Assela is about 19% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Assela and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Assela 39% lower, Adama 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ETB 632

$2.96 ETB 476

33.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.27 ETB 6,949

$42.08 ETB 6,758

2.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ETB 1,070

$5.02 ETB 807

32.67%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 152

$0.88 ETB 142

7.95%

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

$0.60 ETB 95.9

$0.59 ETB 95.1

1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.31 ETB 50.0

103.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 123

$0.78 ETB 126

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ETB 366

$2.22 ETB 357

2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 172

$0.82 ETB 131

30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ETB 193

$1.22 ETB 196

-1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ETB 338

$2.12 ETB 340

-0.47%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

$1.81 ETB 291

-4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 ETB 1,167

$7.31 ETB 1,173

-0.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 ETB 1,621

$9.97 ETB 1,601

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 ETB 1,471

$9.34 ETB 1,500

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ETB 846

$5.26 ETB 845

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.69 ETB 111

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

$2.14 ETB 344

2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 107

$0.71 ETB 114

-5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 79.9

$0.46 ETB 73.7

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.09 ETB 174

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.65 ETB 104

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.4

$0.57 ETB 91.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 ETB 1,273

$7.93 ETB 1,273

-0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ETB 881

$5.52 ETB 886

-0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 105

$0.72 ETB 116

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ETB 198

$1.21 ETB 195

1.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 210

$1.34 ETB 215

-2.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.34

$0.27 ETB 43.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ETB 319

$2.03 ETB 326

-1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

$0.89 ETB 142

8.99%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$55.3K ETB 8.9M

-1.79%

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

$54.9K ETB 8.8M

$56.2K ETB 9.0M

-2.35%

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

$208 ETB 33.4K

$206 ETB 33.1K

0.96%

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

$7.28 ETB 1,170

$7.19 ETB 1,155

1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$210 ETB 33.8K

$212 ETB 34.0K

-0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 ETB 620

$3.81 ETB 611

1.31%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

$136 ETB 21.8K

0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ETB 4.8M

$30.2K ETB 4.8M

-1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.35 ETB 5,356

$33.57 ETB 5,391

-0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.2K

$71.4 ETB 11.5K

-1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 ETB 12.8K

$77.5 ETB 12.4K

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 ETB 13.3K

$81.5 ETB 13.1K

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ETB 56.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ETB 32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 ETB 160.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 ETB 127.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 ETB 16.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

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

Last update for Assela: August 31, 2026

Last update for Adama: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Assela versus $42.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $208 – making Adama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Assela vs Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $836 in Assela, $1,032 in Adama – roughly 23% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Assela and $1,548 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Assela and $42.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Adama – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Assela, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Adama at $1,032. In Assela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Adama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Assela – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Assela. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Adama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.