Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Assela

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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Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$375

/mo nomad

Assela

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Assela actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

Bahir Dar $375
Assela $835

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

Bahir Dar $569
Assela $1,203

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

Bahir Dar $763
Assela $1,571

Living in Bahir Dar costs roughly 55% less than in Assela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ETB 564

$3.96 ETB 636

-11.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.32 ETB 6,793

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ETB 1,069

Cappuccino

$0.99 ETB 159

$0.96 ETB 153

3.13%

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

$0.41 ETB 66.0

$0.64 ETB 102

-35.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ETB 83.9

$0.68 ETB 109

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ETB 116

$0.83 ETB 133

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ETB 323

$2.20 ETB 353

-8.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 ETB 158

$1.05 ETB 169

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.17 ETB 188

-16.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$2.22 ETB 357

-53.60%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 276

$1.78 ETB 286

-3.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ETB 1,152

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ETB 1,632

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 ETB 1,612

$9.17 ETB 1,471

9.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 ETB 468

$5.43 ETB 871

-46.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 164

$0.68 ETB 109

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ETB 329

$2.17 ETB 348

-5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ETB 133

$0.66 ETB 106

25.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.47 ETB 75.4

34.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.05 ETB 169

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ETB 164

$0.66 ETB 106

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.2

$0.60 ETB 96.9

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 ETB 1,290

Wine (Bottle)

$3.90 ETB 626

$5.49 ETB 881

-28.96%

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

$1.22 ETB 196

61.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 207

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 76.9

$0.29 ETB 46.58

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 324

$2.03 ETB 325

-0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$0.90 ETB 144

13.33%

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)

$102 ETB 16.4K

$201 ETB 32.2K

-49.29%

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

$9.82 ETB 1,576

$7.11 ETB 1,141

38.12%

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

$5.90 ETB 947

$3.83 ETB 614

54.05%

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

$49.85 ETB 8,001

$137 ETB 22.1K

-63.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ETB 4.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ETB 8,032

$33.25 ETB 5,337

50.53%

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 Bahir Dar: October 12, 2026

Last update for Assela: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

$417 50%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

$211 25.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

$119 14.3%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

$77 9.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

$7.7 * 0.9%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

$2.7 * 0.3%

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Assela

- * 0%

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

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Assela

🕒 Local time

18:24 6:24 PM

Same time as Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

139,500

💱 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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Between locations

Bahir Dar Assela 450 km

From you

Bahir Dar
Assela

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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $562 in Bahir Dar and $1,252 in Assela 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 $49.85 in Bahir Dar versus $137 in Assela. 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, Bahir Dar and Assela 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.