Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $368 a month against $1,568 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
Learn more

Cape Town Living Index

Jump to prices

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$368

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bahir Dar and in Cape Town

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

A single person spends $368 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,568 in Cape Town, rent included.

Bahir Dar $368
Cape Town $1,568

A couple spends around $571 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,438 in Cape Town, rent included.

Bahir Dar $571
Cape Town $2,438

A family of three spends $774 per month in Bahir Dar vs $3,307 in Cape Town, rent included.

Bahir Dar $774
Cape Town $3,307

Bahir Dar is about 77% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bahir Dar sits 73% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ETB 560

$11.78 R 194

-70.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 R 768

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 R 98.4

Cappuccino

$1.02 ETB 163

$2.47 R 40.80

-58.70%

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

$0.42 ETB 66.9

$1.33 R 21.91

-68.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ETB 77.4

$1.03 R 16.99

-53.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 125

$3.01 R 49.72

-74.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ETB 319

$3.66 R 60.4

-45.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.39 R 22.96

-26.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.19 R 19.60

-13.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 158

$2.11 R 34.84

-53.55%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

$3.01 R 49.58

-42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 R 148

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 R 110

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ETB 1,604

$9.29 R 153

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ETB 486

$1.83 R 30.13

65.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 156

$1.90 R 31.31

-48.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ETB 317

$1.75 R 28.83

12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ETB 134

$2.09 R 34.41

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$1.55 R 25.64

-59.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.49 R 24.53

-24.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.30 R 21.41

-24.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.7

$1.16 R 19.19

-56.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 R 61.2

Wine (Bottle)

$3.89 ETB 625

$6.06 R 100

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ETB 132

$1.39 R 22.85

-41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ETB 314

$2.20 R 36.32

-11.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 R 1,006

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 R 10.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 77.3

$1.53 R 25.29

-68.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 324

$4.81 R 79.4

-58.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ETB 158

$1.58 R 26.08

-37.97%

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

$35.5K R 585.7K

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

$31.7K R 523.8K

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

$98.4 ETB 15.8K

$116 R 1,920

-15.49%

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

$10.01 ETB 1,609

$28.37 R 468

-64.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.69 R 671

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.08 ETB 7,886

$48.85 R 806

0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.4 ETB 9,710

$11.13 R 184

442.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ETB 968

$8.83 R 146

-31.71%

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

$50.3 ETB 8,077

$261 R 4,314

-80.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,702 R 110.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 ETB 8,099

$55.4 R 914

-9.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 R 532

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 R 1,939

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 R 1,766

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 R 16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 R 11.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 R 29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 R 22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,002 ETB 321.7K

$2,331 R 38.5K

-14.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,488 ETB 239.1K

$1,513 R 25.0K

-1.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 ETB 31.6K

$1,636 R 27.0K

-87.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.97

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$715 45.3%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$222 14.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$185 11.7%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$174 11%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$141 8.9%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$75 4.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Cape Town

$67 4.2%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 731% higher in Cape Town, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

16:49 4:49 PM

15:49 3:49 PM

1 h behind Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.06 USD

100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Cape Town 5,450 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Bahir Dar
Cape Town

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 Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 327% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $551 per month in Bahir Dar and $2,352 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $368 in Bahir Dar and $1,568 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 327%.

Groceries cost about 79% more in Cape Town, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $368, than in Cape Town at $1,568. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bahir Dar costs $368 versus $1,568 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.