Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Assela and Jimma

For one person, living is cheaper in Assela: $835 a month against $1,020 in Jimma, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 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

Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,020

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Assela 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 Assela and in Jimma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Assela versus $1,020 in Jimma.

Assela $835
Jimma $1,020

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,203 in Assela versus $1,406 in Jimma.

Assela $1,203
Jimma $1,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,571 in Assela versus $1,792 in Jimma.

Assela $1,571
Jimma $1,792

Living in Assela costs roughly 18% less than in Jimma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Assela 38% lower, Jimma 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 ETB 636

$4.40 ETB 705

-10.00%

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

$1.11 ETB 178

-13.51%

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

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.58 ETB 93.3

10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$0.43 ETB 68.8

58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ETB 133

$2.86 ETB 458

-70.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ETB 353

$1.37 ETB 220

60.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ETB 169

$1.10 ETB 176

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ETB 188

$0.35 ETB 57.0

234.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ETB 357

$1.10 ETB 176

101.82%

Eggs

$1.78 ETB 286

$3.96 ETB 636

-55.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ETB 1,152

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ETB 1,632

$11.18 ETB 1,795

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 ETB 1,471

$11.29 ETB 1,812

-18.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 ETB 871

$2.18 ETB 349

149.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 109

$1.13 ETB 182

-39.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 348

$3.26 ETB 523

-33.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.58 ETB 93.5

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ETB 75.4

$0.58 ETB 93.2

-18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ETB 169

$3.33 ETB 535

-68.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ETB 96.9

$0.55 ETB 87.9

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 ETB 1,290

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 ETB 881

$6.79 ETB 1,089

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 106

$1.11 ETB 177

-40.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 196

$1.43 ETB 229

-14.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ETB 33.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.56 ETB 2,176

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 207

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 325

$1.70 ETB 273

19.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 144

$1.70 ETB 273

-47.06%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$50.0K ETB 8.0M

8.55%

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

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

$56.2K ETB 9.0M

0.53%

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

$201 ETB 32.2K

$61.8 ETB 9,921

225.08%

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

$7.11 ETB 1,141

$36.05 ETB 5,786

-80.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$209 ETB 33.5K

$304 ETB 48.8K

-31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 ETB 5,375

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ETB 614

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

$137 ETB 22.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ETB 4.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.25 ETB 5,337

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 ETB 11.4K

$89.1 ETB 14.3K

-20.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ETB 12.5K

$132 ETB 21.1K

-41.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 ETB 13.3K

$112 ETB 18.1K

-26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 ETB 33.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ETB 25.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ETB 66.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ETB 49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,215 ETB 355.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ETB 177.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 ETB 35.7K

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 Assela: October 11, 2026

Last update for Jimma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Assela

$417 50%

Jimma

–

Groceries & Markets

Assela

$211 25.3%

Jimma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Assela

$119 14.3%

Jimma

–

Eating Out

Assela

$77 9.2%

Jimma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Assela

$7.7 * 0.9%

Jimma

–

Getting Around

Assela

$2.7 * 0.3%

Jimma

–

Accommodation & Living

Assela

- * 0%

Jimma

–

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

Good to know

🇪🇹 Assela

🇪🇹 Jimma

🕒 Local time

18:51 6:51 PM

Same time as Assela

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,500

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

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Assela Jimma 250 km

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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 Jimma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in utilities, clothing, and leisure. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,252 in Assela and $1,530 in Jimma 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.

Shoppers in Jimma pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in Assela versus $1,020 in Jimma – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Assela versus $1,020 in Jimma, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Jimma. 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 Jimma 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 22% less than in Jimma. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.