Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hawassa Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hawassa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $793 in Hawassa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $1,222 in Hawassa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,650 in Hawassa.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 195% more expensive than Hawassa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Hawassa is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$4.45 ETB 705

283.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$35.62 ETB 5,645

94.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$6.63 ETB 1,051

107.84%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$1.25 ETB 198

120.80%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.63 ETB 99.5

342.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.43 ETB 68.9

362.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.02 ETB 162

327.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.99 ETB 474

58.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.45 ETB 230

-11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.30 ETB 205

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.02 ETB 162

95.10%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.53 ETB 243

121.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$6.99 ETB 1,108

169.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$13.85 ETB 2,196

-32.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$13.16 ETB 2,086

45.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$6.79 ETB 1,076

-60.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.97 ETB 153

141.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.16 ETB 343

-1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.98 ETB 155

190.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.69 ETB 109

185.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.81 ETB 288

-0.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.70 ETB 111

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.64 ETB 101

34.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$4.09 ETB 648

65.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$5.56 ETB 881

42.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.00 ETB 159

39.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.91 ETB 303

24.08%

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

$1.43 ETB 227

211.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.29 ETB 46.44

606.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$1.95 ETB 309

1415.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.23 ETB 196

47.97%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

-29.19%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

-39.16%

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

$189 €163

$161 ETB 25.6K

17.18%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$11.88 ETB 1,882

91.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$129 ETB 20.4K

-70.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.78 ETB 917

87.20%

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

$728 €628

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

800.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

-63.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$47.67 ETB 7,556

85.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

-51.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$116 ETB 18.4K

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$500 ETB 79.3K

935.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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 Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $36.00 in Hawassa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $257 per month, with Hawassa cheaper across the board.

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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hawassa differ by about 195% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $793 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $1,190 in Hawassa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $80.9 in Hawassa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hawassa – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $793 in Hawassa versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawassa but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hawassa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Hawassa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hawassa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.