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 $1,078 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Hawassa vs $1,761 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,637 per month in Hawassa vs $2,443 in Adama, rent included.

Hawassa is about 24% cheaper than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hawassa and Adama are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 38% lower, Adama 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ETB 713

$3.02 ETB 483

47.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 ETB 5,534

$35.39 ETB 5,651

-2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ETB 1,044

$4.97 ETB 794

31.39%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ETB 205

$1.25 ETB 199

2.40%

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

$0.64 ETB 103

$0.64 ETB 102

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.31 ETB 50.2

41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 163

$0.98 ETB 157

4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ETB 488

$2.94 ETB 469

4.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 223

$1.38 ETB 221

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 213

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 158

$2.15 ETB 343

-53.95%

Eggs

$1.58 ETB 253

$2.50 ETB 399

-36.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 ETB 1,119

$6.94 ETB 1,109

1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 ETB 2,227

$14.03 ETB 2,241

-0.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 ETB 2,118

$13.32 ETB 2,128

-0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.81 ETB 1,088

$6.70 ETB 1,070

1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.02 ETB 163

0.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ETB 364

$2.25 ETB 359

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ETB 159

$0.97 ETB 154

3.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.68 ETB 108

-7.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 306

$1.84 ETB 294

3.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 112

$0.64 ETB 102

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.64 ETB 102

-1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ETB 620

$3.89 ETB 622

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 ETB 871

$5.66 ETB 903

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.00 ETB 160

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ETB 307

$1.82 ETB 291

5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ETB 240

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.71

$0.29 ETB 46.69

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 314

$1.97 ETB 315

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ETB 208

$1.29 ETB 206

0.78%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-0.78%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

$53.5K ETB 8.5M

1.95%

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

$156 ETB 25.0K

$158 ETB 25.3K

-1.16%

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

$11.85 ETB 1,892

$12.11 ETB 1,934

-2.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 ETB 20.7K

$132 ETB 21.1K

-1.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ETB 895

$5.64 ETB 900

-0.53%

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

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$81.5 ETB 13.0K

1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

$40.5K ETB 6.5M

0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 ETB 7,630

$47.27 ETB 7,549

1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

$76.1 ETB 12.2K

0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

$92.8 ETB 14.8K

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 18.0K

$116 ETB 18.6K

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 ETB 78.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ETB 48.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 ETB 157.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ETB 126.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$501 ETB 80.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$101 ETB 16.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Hawassa: July 28, 2026

Last update for Adama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa versus $35.00 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: $823 in Hawassa, $1,078 in Adama – roughly 31% 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 $1,617 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 $35.00 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 $823, than in Adama at $1,078. 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.