Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $375 a month against $835 in Assela, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Assela
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Assela Living Index

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Assela

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$835

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$375

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Assela and in Bahir Dar

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Assela versus $375 in Bahir Dar.

Assela $835
Bahir Dar $375

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,203 in Assela versus $569 in Bahir Dar.

Assela $1,203
Bahir Dar $569

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,571 in Assela versus $763 in Bahir Dar.

Assela $1,571
Bahir Dar $763

Living in Assela is roughly 123% more expensive than in Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 38% lower, Bahir Dar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 ETB 636

$3.51 ETB 564

12.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.32 ETB 6,793

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ETB 1,069

Cappuccino

$0.96 ETB 153

$0.99 ETB 159

-3.03%

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

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.41 ETB 66.0

56.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$0.52 ETB 83.9

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ETB 133

$0.72 ETB 116

15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ETB 353

$2.01 ETB 323

9.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ETB 169

$0.99 ETB 158

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ETB 188

$0.98 ETB 157

19.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ETB 357

$1.03 ETB 165

115.53%

Eggs

$1.78 ETB 286

$1.72 ETB 276

3.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ETB 1,152

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ETB 1,632

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 ETB 1,471

$10.04 ETB 1,612

-8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 ETB 871

$2.92 ETB 468

85.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 109

$1.02 ETB 164

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 348

$2.05 ETB 329

5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.83 ETB 133

-20.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ETB 75.4

$0.63 ETB 101

-25.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ETB 169

$1.12 ETB 180

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

$1.02 ETB 164

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ETB 96.9

$0.51 ETB 82.2

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 ETB 1,290

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 ETB 881

$3.90 ETB 626

40.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.84 ETB 134

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 196

$1.97 ETB 316

-38.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 207

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.58

$0.48 ETB 76.9

-39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 325

$2.02 ETB 324

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 144

$1.02 ETB 164

-11.76%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

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

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

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

$201 ETB 32.2K

$102 ETB 16.4K

97.20%

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

$7.11 ETB 1,141

$9.82 ETB 1,576

-27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$209 ETB 33.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ETB 8,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.5 ETB 9,711

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ETB 614

$5.90 ETB 947

-35.08%

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

$137 ETB 22.1K

$49.85 ETB 8,001

175.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ETB 4.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.25 ETB 5,337

$50.1 ETB 8,032

-33.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 ETB 11.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ETB 12.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 ETB 13.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,988 ETB 319.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ETB 237.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.1K

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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Assela

$417 50%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Assela

$211 25.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Assela

$119 14.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Assela

$77 9.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Assela

$7.7 * 0.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Assela

$2.7 * 0.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Accommodation & Living

Assela

- * 0%

Bahir Dar

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Assela

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

17:47 5:47 PM

Same time as Assela

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,500

350,000

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Assela Bahir Dar 450 km

From you

Assela
Bahir Dar

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

Assela vs Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bahir Dar is cheaper overall, especially in utilities, groceries, and clothing. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,252 in Assela and $562 in Bahir Dar 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 70% higher in Assela. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $137 in Assela versus $49.85 in Bahir Dar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bahir Dar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Bahir Dar 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 Bahir Dar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Assela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.