Cost of Living Comparison Between Ethiopia and Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Ethiopia and Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $792 in Ethiopia versus $1,642 in Spain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Ethiopia versus $2,393 in Spain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,573 in Ethiopia versus $3,144 in Spain.

Living in Ethiopia costs about 52% less than in Spain on average.

Ethiopia (41% below) and Spain (23% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.52 ETB 717
$16.46 €14.38
-72.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.26 ETB 5,589
$58.1 €50.7
-39.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.37 ETB 1,010
$10.59 €9.25
-39.85%
Cappuccino
$1.20 ETB 191
$2.30 €2.01
-47.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ETB 99.1
$2.59 €2.26
-75.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ETB 73.7
$1.88 €1.65
-75.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.97 ETB 154
$3.41 €2.98
-71.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ETB 315
$3.97 €3.47
-49.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 ETB 227
$1.18 €1.03
21.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 ETB 198
$1.54 €1.34
-18.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 ETB 266
$1.59 €1.39
5.66%
Eggs
$2.41 ETB 381
$3.05 €2.67
-20.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.97 ETB 1,105
$14.38 €12.56
-51.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.59 ETB 1,995
$8.46 €7.39
48.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.17 ETB 2,087
$15.94 €13.93
-17.38%
Apples (1kg)
$6.19 ETB 981
$2.54 €2.22
143.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.98 ETB 155
$2.08 €1.82
-52.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ETB 364
$2.02 €1.77
13.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.86 ETB 136
$2.66 €2.32
-67.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 ETB 106
$1.82 €1.59
-63.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 ETB 301
$1.88 €1.65
1.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 ETB 109
$1.35 €1.18
-48.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 ETB 98.8
$0.75 €0.66
-17.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 ETB 628
$6.35 €5.55
-37.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.13 ETB 813
$5.75 €5.02
-10.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ETB 132
$1.30 €1.14
-36.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ETB 285
$2.11 €1.85
-14.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 ETB 42.30
$1.72 €1.50
-84.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.55 ETB 1,989
$35.11 €30.67
-64.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.48 ETB 235
$4.56 €3.99
-67.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 ETB 49.29
$1.30 €1.13
-76.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.95 ETB 309
$26.70 €23.33
-92.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ETB 200
$1.81 €1.58
-30.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$53.5K ETB 8.5M
$39.2K €34.3K
36.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$53.5K ETB 8.5M
$30.6K €26.7K
74.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 ETB 20.7K
$153 €133
-14.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.13 ETB 1,923
$20.36 €17.79
-40.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$159 ETB 25.3K
$34.00 €29.71
369.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.4 ETB 9,884
$48.13 €42.05
29.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.87 ETB 5,845
$16.14 €14.10
128.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 ETB 803
$9.37 €8.19
-45.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$78.5 ETB 12.4K
$520 €454
-84.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$40.7K ETB 6.4M
$10.2K €8,888
299.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.76 ETB 7,412
$85.9 €75.1
-45.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.5 ETB 12.0K
$36.75 €32.11
105.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.9 ETB 15.5K
$91.7 €80.1
6.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 ETB 19.0K
$108 €94.7
10.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$689 ETB 109.1K
$1,043 €911
-33.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$378 ETB 59.9K
$834 €729
-54.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,366 ETB 216.4K
$1,674 €1,462
-18.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$869 ETB 137.7K
$1,223 €1,069
-28.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,785 ETB 282.9K
$4,158 €3,633
-57.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,009 ETB 159.8K
$2,629 €2,297
-61.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ethiopia
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$203 ETB 32.2K
$1,965 €1,717
-89.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17
3.51
384.33%

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

Last update for Ethiopia: July 14, 2026

Last update for Spain: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $206 in Ethiopia, $897 in Spain. Capital cities: $732 in Addis Ababa vs $1,607 in Madrid.

National salary averages: $182 in Ethiopia, $1,989 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 335% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 165% more in Spain.

Public transport is 725% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 993% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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
Ethiopia vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Ethiopia and Spain?
At $715 per month in Ethiopia and $2,154 in Spain, there's a 201% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Ethiopia: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Spain is consistently higher than in Ethiopia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Ethiopia or in Spain?
In Ethiopia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Ethiopia or to Spain?
It depends on what you're after: Ethiopia wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Ethiopia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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