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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $1,006 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $1,693 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $2,380 in Adama, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 146% more than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 81% above the global median, while Adama is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$3.06 ETB 491

512.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$42.54 ETB 6,834

63.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$5.07 ETB 815

171.60%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$0.90 ETB 144

244.44%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.60 ETB 96.3

371.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.31 ETB 49.92

506.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$0.77 ETB 124

416.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$2.23 ETB 357

103.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.84 ETB 135

51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.18 ETB 190

83.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.12 ETB 341

-16.98%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$1.75 ETB 281

193.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$7.55 ETB 1,213

136.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$10.28 ETB 1,652

-6.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$9.35 ETB 1,502

115.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$5.29 ETB 850

-38.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$0.65 ETB 104

243.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.13 ETB 343

22.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.65 ETB 105

324.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.46 ETB 73.6

380.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.05 ETB 169

101.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.65 ETB 104

138.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.61 ETB 97.3

55.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$8.18 ETB 1,313

-10.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$5.54 ETB 889

45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$0.71 ETB 114

116.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$1.28 ETB 206

117.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.29 ETB 207

153.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.29 ETB 46.93

410.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$1.96 ETB 315

1648.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.97 ETB 156

78.35%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

-33.35%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$56.0K ETB 9.0M

-45.47%

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

$187 €163

$204 ETB 32.7K

-8.12%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$7.22 ETB 1,160

109.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$212 ETB 34.1K

-82.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

$3.64 ETB 585

213.46%

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

$997 €869

$138 ETB 22.2K

621.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$30.7K ETB 4.9M

-46.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

$33.59 ETB 5,396

175.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

$70.8 ETB 11.4K

-41.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

43.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$81.7 ETB 13.1K

53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$347 ETB 55.7K

392.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$198 ETB 31.8K

548.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$982 ETB 157.7K

161.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$816 ETB 131.1K

138.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$102 ETB 16.3K

2211.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

18.5

-82.92%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Adama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $347 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 2212% 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 $43.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $210 – 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: $2,476 in Barcelona, $1,006 in Adama – roughly 146% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $1,509 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 $43.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $1,006, than in Barcelona at $2,476. 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 $1,006 in Adama to $2,476 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.