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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Barcelona vs $1,113 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,468 per month in Barcelona vs $1,782 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,599 per month in Barcelona vs $2,451 in Adama, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 110% more than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 74% above the global median, while Adama is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$3.03 ETB 480

463.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$34.50 ETB 5,468

100.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$5.10 ETB 808

170.20%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$1.27 ETB 202

117.32%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.69 ETB 109

304.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.31 ETB 49.29

541.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$0.99 ETB 156

340.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$3.02 ETB 478

56.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.45 ETB 231

-11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.35 ETB 214

51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.12 ETB 336

-6.13%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.41 ETB 382

40.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$7.22 ETB 1,145

160.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$14.10 ETB 2,235

-33.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$13.43 ETB 2,129

42.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$6.75 ETB 1,070

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.96 ETB 152

143.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.19 ETB 347

-3.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.98 ETB 156

190.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.67 ETB 107

194.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.89 ETB 300

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.69 ETB 109

110.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.63 ETB 99.8

36.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$3.93 ETB 623

72.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$5.53 ETB 876

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.04 ETB 165

33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.89 ETB 300

25.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.44 ETB 228

209.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.29 ETB 46.09

606.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$2.05 ETB 324

1341.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.29 ETB 205

41.09%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-28.97%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-39.53%

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

$189 €163

$162 ETB 25.6K

17.05%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$11.84 ETB 1,877

92.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$129 ETB 20.4K

-70.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.63 ETB 893

92.18%

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

$728 €628

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

804.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$40.5K ETB 6.4M

-63.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$46.44 ETB 7,361

90.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$75.1 ETB 11.9K

-50.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$92.3 ETB 14.6K

10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$112 ETB 17.8K

3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$509 ETB 80.6K

208.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$302 ETB 47.9K

303.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$1,005 ETB 159.3K

178.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$791 ETB 125.4K

149.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$101 ETB 15.9K

2231.42%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Adama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in Barcelona versus $509 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 2231% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $34.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $268 – 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: $2,337 in Barcelona, $1,113 in Adama – roughly 110% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,505 per month in Barcelona and $1,670 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 $69.0 in Barcelona and $34.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,113, than in Barcelona at $2,337. 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 $1,113 in Adama to $2,337 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.