Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Adama Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Adama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Barcelona vs $1,078 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,498 per month in Barcelona vs $1,761 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in Barcelona vs $2,443 in Adama, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 119% more than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 77% above the global median, while Adama is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$3.02 ETB 483

467.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$35.39 ETB 5,651

92.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$4.97 ETB 794

174.45%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$1.25 ETB 199

122.40%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.64 ETB 102

340.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.31 ETB 50.2

532.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$0.98 ETB 157

352.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.94 ETB 469

56.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.38 ETB 221

-7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.33 ETB 213

60.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.15 ETB 343

-7.44%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.50 ETB 399

34.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$6.94 ETB 1,109

173.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$14.03 ETB 2,241

-32.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$13.32 ETB 2,128

40.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$6.70 ETB 1,070

-60.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.02 ETB 163

130.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.25 ETB 359

-7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.97 ETB 154

181.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.68 ETB 108

188.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.84 ETB 294

-1.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.64 ETB 102

135.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.64 ETB 102

39.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$3.89 ETB 622

74.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$5.66 ETB 903

39.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.00 ETB 160

37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.82 ETB 291

31.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$1.50 ETB 240

205.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.29 ETB 46.69

603.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$1.97 ETB 315

1357.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.29 ETB 206

41.09%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-28.14%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$53.5K ETB 8.5M

-39.26%

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

$187 €162

$158 ETB 25.3K

17.90%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$12.11 ETB 1,934

84.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$132 ETB 21.1K

-72.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$5.64 ETB 900

90.96%

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

$725 €628

$81.5 ETB 13.0K

789.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$40.5K ETB 6.5M

-62.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$47.27 ETB 7,549

85.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$76.1 ETB 12.2K

-51.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$92.8 ETB 14.8K

11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$116 ETB 18.6K

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$494 ETB 78.9K

208.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$304 ETB 48.6K

303.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$988 ETB 157.7K

176.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$794 ETB 126.8K

149.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$101 ETB 16.2K

2257.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-80.06%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Adama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Barcelona versus $494 in Adama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2257% higher in Barcelona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona versus $35.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $266 – making Adama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barcelona vs Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona, $1,078 in Adama – roughly 119% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,539 per month in Barcelona and $1,617 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Barcelona and $35.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Barcelona, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Adama, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Barcelona at $2,359. In Adama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,078 in Adama to $2,359 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Adama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.