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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Assela versus $1,282 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Assela versus $1,880 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,554 in Assela versus $2,478 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Assela costs roughly 35% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 39% lower, Addis Ababa 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ETB 632

$4.11 ETB 659

-4.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.27 ETB 6,949

$42.92 ETB 6,894

0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ETB 1,070

$6.45 ETB 1,036

3.26%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 152

$0.95 ETB 153

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

$0.60 ETB 95.9

$0.63 ETB 102

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.68 ETB 109

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 123

$0.82 ETB 132

-6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ETB 366

$2.31 ETB 370

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 172

$1.11 ETB 178

-3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ETB 193

$1.22 ETB 196

-1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ETB 338

$2.17 ETB 349

-2.76%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 ETB 1,167

$7.51 ETB 1,206

-3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 ETB 1,621

$10.16 ETB 1,631

-0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 ETB 1,471

$9.17 ETB 1,472

-0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 ETB 846

$5.25 ETB 843

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.63 ETB 102

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 107

$0.70 ETB 113

-4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 79.9

$0.49 ETB 79.0

2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.09 ETB 175

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.4

$0.58 ETB 92.4

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 ETB 1,273

$8.04 ETB 1,291

-1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ETB 881

$5.68 ETB 913

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 105

$0.67 ETB 108

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ETB 198

$1.27 ETB 203

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 83.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.84 ETB 3,347

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 210

$1.35 ETB 216

-2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.34

$0.29 ETB 46.58

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ETB 319

$1.95 ETB 313

2.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

$0.88 ETB 142

10.23%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$55.5K ETB 8.9M

-2.20%

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

$54.9K ETB 8.8M

$55.4K ETB 8.9M

-0.86%

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

$208 ETB 33.4K

-0.16%

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

$7.28 ETB 1,170

$7.26 ETB 1,166

0.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$210 ETB 33.8K

$211 ETB 33.8K

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.06 ETB 7,077

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 ETB 5,730

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 ETB 620

$3.73 ETB 599

3.49%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

-0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ETB 4.8M

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

-2.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.35 ETB 5,356

$32.94 ETB 5,290

1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.2K

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 ETB 12.8K

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 ETB 13.3K

$82.5 ETB 13.3K

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ETB 115.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ETB 64.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 ETB 367.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ETB 121.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 ETB 313.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 ETB 160.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.2K

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 Addis Ababa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Assela vs $43.00 in Addis Ababa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $213 per month, with Assela cheaper across the board.

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 Addis Ababa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela and Addis Ababa differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($836 vs $1,282 including rent). Assela is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,254 in Assela and $1,923 in Addis Ababa 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 1% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Assela versus $1,282 in Addis Ababa – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Assela versus $1,282 in Addis Ababa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Assela 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.

Safety-wise, Assela and Addis Ababa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.