Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Adama

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $375 a month against $1,026 in Adama, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Adama
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Adama Living Index

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Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$375

/mo nomad

Adama

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,026

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $375 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,026 in Adama, rent included.

Bahir Dar $375
Adama $1,026

A couple spends around $569 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,689 in Adama, rent included.

Bahir Dar $569
Adama $1,689

A family of three spends $763 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,353 in Adama, rent included.

Bahir Dar $763
Adama $2,353

Bahir Dar is about 63% cheaper than Adama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Bahir Dar and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Bahir Dar 72% lower, Adama 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ETB 564

$3.07 ETB 493

14.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.20 ETB 6,933

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ETB 798

Cappuccino

$0.99 ETB 159

$0.95 ETB 153

4.21%

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

$0.41 ETB 66.0

$0.62 ETB 99.8

-33.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ETB 83.9

$0.29 ETB 46.37

79.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ETB 116

$0.82 ETB 132

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ETB 323

$2.32 ETB 372

-13.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 ETB 158

$0.77 ETB 124

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.16 ETB 187

-15.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$2.13 ETB 342

-51.64%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 276

$1.75 ETB 281

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ETB 1,174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 ETB 1,627

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 ETB 1,612

$9.13 ETB 1,465

9.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 ETB 468

$5.29 ETB 848

-44.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 164

$0.67 ETB 108

52.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ETB 329

$2.14 ETB 344

-4.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ETB 133

$0.71 ETB 114

16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.50 ETB 80.1

26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.04 ETB 168

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ETB 164

$0.69 ETB 111

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.2

$0.60 ETB 96.8

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 ETB 1,266

Wine (Bottle)

$3.90 ETB 626

$5.60 ETB 899

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ETB 134

$0.66 ETB 106

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ETB 316

$1.29 ETB 206

52.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ETB 214

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 76.9

$0.27 ETB 42.79

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 324

$2.03 ETB 326

-0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$0.92 ETB 147

10.87%

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

$54.2K ETB 8.7M

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

$55.0K ETB 8.8M

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

$102 ETB 16.4K

$205 ETB 32.8K

-50.18%

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

$9.82 ETB 1,576

$7.39 ETB 1,186

32.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$213 ETB 34.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ETB 8,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.5 ETB 9,711

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ETB 947

$3.80 ETB 609

55.26%

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

$49.85 ETB 8,001

$135 ETB 21.7K

-63.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ETB 8,032

$33.80 ETB 5,424

48.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 ETB 11.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 ETB 13.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ETB 56.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 ETB 32.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ETB 161.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 ETB 128.7K

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

$98.3 ETB 15.8K

103.63%

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 Bahir Dar: October 12, 2026

Last update for Adama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$425 41.4%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$208 20.3%

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$199 19.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$120 11.7%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$63 6.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$7.6 * 0.7%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Adama

$2.7 * 0.3%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 104% higher in Bahir Dar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Adama

🕒 Local time

19:17 7:17 PM

Same time as Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

228,623

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Adama 400 km

From you

Bahir Dar
Adama

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $375 in Bahir Dar, $1,026 in Adama – roughly 174% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $562 per month in Bahir Dar and $1,539 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $49.85 per month in Bahir Dar and $135 in Adama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $375 in Bahir Dar and $1,026 in Adama. That's a gap of about 174%.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $375 in Bahir Dar and $1,026 in Adama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bahir Dar – 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 Bahir Dar. 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.