Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Hawassa

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $374 a month against $838 in Hawassa, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hawassa
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Hawassa Living Index

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Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$374

/mo nomad

Hawassa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$838

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $374 per month in Bahir Dar vs $838 in Hawassa, rent included.

Bahir Dar $374
Hawassa $838

A couple spends around $569 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,202 in Hawassa, rent included.

Bahir Dar $569
Hawassa $1,202

A family of three spends $763 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,566 in Hawassa, rent included.

Bahir Dar $763
Hawassa $1,566

Bahir Dar is about 55% cheaper than Hawassa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Bahir Dar and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Bahir Dar 72% lower, Hawassa 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 ETB 552

$3.88 ETB 625

-11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.15 ETB 6,777

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 ETB 1,061

Cappuccino

$1.01 ETB 163

$0.88 ETB 142

14.77%

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

$0.38 ETB 61.5

$0.63 ETB 101

-39.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ETB 77.2

$0.68 ETB 109

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ETB 124

$0.78 ETB 125

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ETB 327

$2.21 ETB 355

-8.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 165

$1.05 ETB 169

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ETB 159

$1.17 ETB 189

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ETB 162

$1.03 ETB 165

-1.94%

Eggs

$1.78 ETB 286

$1.58 ETB 254

12.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 ETB 1,186

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 ETB 1,612

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.01 ETB 1,610

$9.27 ETB 1,491

7.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ETB 485

$5.23 ETB 841

-42.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 159

$0.63 ETB 101

57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ETB 329

$2.24 ETB 361

-8.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.84 ETB 135

$0.69 ETB 112

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ETB 99.8

$0.47 ETB 75.0

31.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ETB 189

$1.09 ETB 175

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ETB 163

$0.66 ETB 106

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ETB 78.0

$0.57 ETB 91.7

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.91 ETB 1,272

Wine (Bottle)

$3.98 ETB 639

$5.65 ETB 908

-29.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ETB 123

$0.67 ETB 108

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ETB 316

$1.22 ETB 197

61.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 ETB 78.4

$0.27 ETB 43.39

81.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ETB 319

$2.02 ETB 325

-1.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ETB 165

$0.95 ETB 153

8.42%

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)

$55.5K ETB 8.9M

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

$100 ETB 16.1K

$205 ETB 33.0K

-51.08%

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

$9.84 ETB 1,582

$7.48 ETB 1,202

31.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$216 ETB 34.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 ETB 8,137

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.3 ETB 9,690

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 ETB 985

$3.81 ETB 613

60.63%

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

$50.8 ETB 8,173

$616 ETB 99.1K

-91.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 ETB 8,159

$33.38 ETB 5,368

52.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 ETB 11.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 ETB 12.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 ETB 13.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 ETB 321.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 ETB 243.2K

$500 ETB 80.3K

202.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.2K

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 31, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

$429 51.2%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

$205 24.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

$119 14.2%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

$75 8.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

$7.6 * 0.9%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

$2.7 * 0.3%

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Hawassa

- * 0%

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

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Hawassa

🕒 Local time

05:20 5:20 AM

Same time as Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

160,000

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Hawassa 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bahir Dar
Hawassa

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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawassa costs about 124% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $561 per month in Bahir Dar and $1,258 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $374 in Bahir Dar and $838 in Hawassa. That makes Bahir Dar about 55% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Hawassa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Hawassa at $838. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hawassa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hawassa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $374 in Bahir Dar to $838 in Hawassa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.