Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Adama Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Adama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $793 per month in Hawassa vs $1,113 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,222 per month in Hawassa vs $1,782 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,650 per month in Hawassa vs $2,451 in Adama, rent included.

Hawassa is about 29% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hawassa and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 41% lower, Adama 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ETB 705

$3.03 ETB 480

46.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.62 ETB 5,645

$34.50 ETB 5,468

3.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,051

$5.10 ETB 808

30.00%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.27 ETB 202

-1.57%

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

$0.63 ETB 99.5

$0.69 ETB 109

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.9

$0.31 ETB 49.29

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 162

$0.99 ETB 156

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ETB 474

$3.02 ETB 478

-0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 230

$1.45 ETB 231

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ETB 205

$1.35 ETB 214

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

$2.12 ETB 336

-51.89%

Eggs

$1.53 ETB 243

$2.41 ETB 382

-36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ETB 1,108

$7.22 ETB 1,145

-3.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 ETB 2,196

$14.10 ETB 2,235

-1.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ETB 2,086

$13.43 ETB 2,129

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 ETB 1,076

$6.75 ETB 1,070

0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$0.96 ETB 152

1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 343

$2.19 ETB 347

-1.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$0.98 ETB 156

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 109

$0.67 ETB 107

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 288

$1.89 ETB 300

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 111

$0.69 ETB 109

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.63 ETB 99.8

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ETB 648

$3.93 ETB 623

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ETB 881

$5.53 ETB 876

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.04 ETB 165

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ETB 303

$1.89 ETB 300

1.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 227

$1.44 ETB 228

-0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.44

$0.29 ETB 46.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 309

$2.05 ETB 324

-4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ETB 196

$1.29 ETB 205

-4.65%

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

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

0.32%

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

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-0.62%

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

$161 ETB 25.6K

$162 ETB 25.6K

-0.11%

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

$11.88 ETB 1,882

$11.84 ETB 1,877

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

-0.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ETB 917

$5.63 ETB 893

2.66%

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

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

0.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

$40.5K ETB 6.4M

-0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.67 ETB 7,556

$46.44 ETB 7,361

2.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

$75.1 ETB 11.9K

0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

$92.3 ETB 14.6K

0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$112 ETB 17.8K

3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ETB 80.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ETB 47.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 ETB 159.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 ETB 125.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 ETB 79.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 ETB 15.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Last update for Adama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Hawassa versus $34.00 in Adama. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Hawassa vs $268 in Adama – so Hawassa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hawassa vs Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $793 in Hawassa, $1,113 in Adama – roughly 40% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Hawassa and $1,670 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Hawassa 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 4% more in Adama, 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 Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Adama at $1,113. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Adama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hawassa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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