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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $822 per month in Hawassa vs $1,114 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Hawassa vs $1,756 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,638 per month in Hawassa vs $2,399 in Adama, rent included.

Hawassa is about 26% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hawassa and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 39% lower, Adama 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 689

$3.05 ETB 477

44.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ETB 5,484

$35.58 ETB 5,561

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 ETB 1,029

$5.04 ETB 788

30.56%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 193

$1.28 ETB 201

-3.91%

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

$0.64 ETB 100

$0.67 ETB 105

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.5

$0.31 ETB 48.66

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 160

$1.01 ETB 158

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 464

$2.96 ETB 463

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 218

$1.46 ETB 228

-4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 209

$1.27 ETB 199

5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 161

$2.12 ETB 332

-51.42%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 251

$2.52 ETB 393

-36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 ETB 1,127

$7.27 ETB 1,137

-0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 ETB 2,175

$13.73 ETB 2,145

1.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 ETB 2,075

$13.38 ETB 2,091

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,057

$6.79 ETB 1,061

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 152

$1.02 ETB 160

-4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 338

$2.23 ETB 349

-3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ETB 141

$0.92 ETB 144

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 105

$0.63 ETB 98.2

6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 299

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 107

$0.70 ETB 110

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 98.1

$0.63 ETB 98.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 629

$3.92 ETB 613

2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 900

$5.74 ETB 896

0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 156

$1.04 ETB 162

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 288

$1.82 ETB 284

1.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ETB 233

$1.45 ETB 226

2.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.05

$0.29 ETB 45.92

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 320

$2.03 ETB 317

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 194

$1.30 ETB 202

-4.62%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

$54.4K ETB 8.5M

1.28%

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

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

$54.8K ETB 8.6M

-3.28%

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

$158 ETB 24.7K

$162 ETB 25.3K

-2.51%

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

$11.98 ETB 1,872

$12.16 ETB 1,900

-1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.5K

$133 ETB 20.8K

-1.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ETB 866

$5.87 ETB 917

-5.62%

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

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

$79.7 ETB 12.5K

2.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

$39.9K ETB 6.2M

2.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ETB 7,470

$48.05 ETB 7,509

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

$74.0 ETB 11.6K

1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

$94.1 ETB 14.7K

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.2K

$116 ETB 18.1K

0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ETB 77.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ETB 47.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ETB 153.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ETB 127.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 ETB 78.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Adama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa versus $36.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $266 – making Hawassa 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

Hawassa vs Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $822 in Hawassa, $1,114 in Adama – roughly 36% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,232 per month in Hawassa and $1,671 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 $35.00 in Hawassa and $36.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $822, than in Adama at $1,114. 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.