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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $823 per month in Hawassa vs $1,006 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Hawassa vs $1,693 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Hawassa vs $2,380 in Adama, rent included.

Hawassa is about 18% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hawassa and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 40% lower, Adama 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 ETB 645

$3.06 ETB 491

31.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.04 ETB 6,754

$42.54 ETB 6,834

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 ETB 1,026

$5.07 ETB 815

25.84%

Cappuccino

$0.91 ETB 146

$0.90 ETB 144

1.11%

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

$0.62 ETB 100

$0.60 ETB 96.3

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$0.31 ETB 49.92

119.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 ETB 127

$0.77 ETB 124

2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ETB 359

$2.23 ETB 357

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ETB 170

$0.84 ETB 135

26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$1.18 ETB 190

2.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$2.12 ETB 341

-51.42%

Eggs

$1.54 ETB 247

$1.75 ETB 281

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 ETB 1,160

$7.55 ETB 1,213

-4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 ETB 1,593

$10.28 ETB 1,652

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.30 ETB 1,493

$9.35 ETB 1,502

-0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 ETB 853

$5.29 ETB 850

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 110

$0.65 ETB 104

6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 353

$2.13 ETB 343

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 112

$0.65 ETB 105

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.7

$0.46 ETB 73.6

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ETB 176

$1.05 ETB 169

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 110

$0.65 ETB 104

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 92.4

$0.61 ETB 97.3

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 ETB 1,267

$8.18 ETB 1,313

-3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 ETB 922

$5.54 ETB 889

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ETB 106

$0.71 ETB 114

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ETB 198

$1.28 ETB 206

-3.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ETB 208

$1.29 ETB 207

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.75

$0.29 ETB 46.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ETB 326

$1.96 ETB 315

3.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ETB 156

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

$55.1K ETB 8.9M

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

0.97%

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

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

$56.0K ETB 9.0M

-2.46%

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

$203 ETB 32.7K

$204 ETB 32.7K

-0.13%

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

$7.42 ETB 1,191

$7.22 ETB 1,160

2.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$210 ETB 33.7K

$212 ETB 34.1K

-1.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.68 ETB 592

$3.64 ETB 585

1.10%

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

$134 ETB 21.6K

$138 ETB 22.2K

-2.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

$30.7K ETB 4.9M

-0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.25 ETB 5,342

$33.59 ETB 5,396

-1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.7 ETB 11.5K

$70.8 ETB 11.4K

1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

$77.8 ETB 12.5K

1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ETB 13.5K

$81.7 ETB 13.1K

2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 ETB 55.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ETB 31.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ETB 157.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ETB 131.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 ETB 79.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 ETB 16.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

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

Last update for Hawassa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Adama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Hawassa versus $43.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $210 – 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: $823 in Hawassa, $1,006 in Adama – roughly 22% apart. Adama costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,234 per month in Hawassa and $1,509 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 $42.00 in Hawassa 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 2% more in Adama, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $823 in Hawassa and $1,006 in Adama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.