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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Assela vs $1,111 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Assela vs $1,770 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,669 per month in Assela vs $2,429 in Adama, rent included.

Assela is about 27% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Assela and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Assela 40% lower, Adama 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ETB 725

$3.03 ETB 478

51.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.67 ETB 5,622

$35.22 ETB 5,551

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 ETB 996

$5.01 ETB 790

26.15%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ETB 203

$1.23 ETB 194

4.88%

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

$0.64 ETB 101

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.3

$0.29 ETB 45.70

48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ETB 154

$0.98 ETB 155

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 462

$3.03 ETB 478

-3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.41 ETB 222

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ETB 209

$1.29 ETB 203

2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$2.13 ETB 335

1.88%

Eggs

$2.46 ETB 388

$2.49 ETB 392

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ETB 1,104

$6.98 ETB 1,100

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.87 ETB 2,185

$13.77 ETB 2,171

0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 ETB 2,112

$13.54 ETB 2,134

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 ETB 1,078

$6.80 ETB 1,072

0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 162

$1.04 ETB 163

-0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$2.16 ETB 341

1.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$0.91 ETB 144

6.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.6

$0.63 ETB 99.1

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ETB 296

$1.88 ETB 297

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 110

$0.66 ETB 104

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ETB 108

$0.68 ETB 107

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ETB 636

$4.04 ETB 636

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ETB 899

$5.56 ETB 876

2.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.05 ETB 165

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 290

$1.91 ETB 301

-3.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ETB 228

$1.47 ETB 232

-1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.53

$0.29 ETB 46.01

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ETB 312

$1.95 ETB 307

1.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ETB 204

$1.31 ETB 206

-1.53%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.7M

$55.8K ETB 8.8M

-1.16%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

1.48%

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

$159 ETB 25.0K

$162 ETB 25.5K

-1.78%

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

$11.83 ETB 1,864

$12.17 ETB 1,917

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.6K

0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ETB 910

$5.74 ETB 904

0.52%

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

$79.9 ETB 12.6K

$80.8 ETB 12.7K

-1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.0K ETB 6.5M

$40.5K ETB 6.4M

1.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.94 ETB 7,398

$47.03 ETB 7,412

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 ETB 11.8K

$74.6 ETB 11.7K

0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ETB 14.8K

$93.0 ETB 14.7K

1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.1K

$114 ETB 18.0K

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ETB 79.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ETB 46.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 ETB 154.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 ETB 127.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 ETB 15.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Assela: June 1, 2026

Last update for Adama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Assela versus $35.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $266 – 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: $806 in Assela, $1,111 in Adama – roughly 38% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,208 per month in Assela and $1,666 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 $36.00 in Assela and $35.00 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 $806, than in Adama at $1,111. 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.