Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Addis Ababa Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Addis Ababa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $823 in Hawassa versus $1,389 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in Hawassa versus $2,095 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,637 in Hawassa versus $2,802 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Hawassa costs roughly 41% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hawassa is 38% below, Addis Ababa is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ETB 713

$4.41 ETB 704

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 ETB 5,534

$35.33 ETB 5,642

-1.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ETB 1,044

$6.40 ETB 1,023

2.03%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ETB 205

$1.29 ETB 206

-0.78%

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

$0.64 ETB 103

$0.69 ETB 110

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.44 ETB 70.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ETB 488

$3.05 ETB 487

0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 223

$1.45 ETB 232

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 213

$1.34 ETB 213

-0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 158

$2.14 ETB 342

-53.74%

Eggs

$1.58 ETB 253

$2.41 ETB 386

-34.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 ETB 1,119

$7.27 ETB 1,161

-3.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 ETB 2,227

$13.64 ETB 2,178

2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 ETB 2,118

$13.46 ETB 2,149

-1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$6.81 ETB 1,088

$6.68 ETB 1,066

1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$0.96 ETB 154

7.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ETB 364

$2.23 ETB 357

2.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ETB 159

$0.93 ETB 148

7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.64 ETB 102

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 306

$1.90 ETB 304

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 112

$0.69 ETB 111

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.64 ETB 102

-1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ETB 620

$4.08 ETB 651

-4.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 ETB 871

$5.63 ETB 899

-3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$0.99 ETB 158

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ETB 307

$1.84 ETB 293

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ETB 65.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.09 ETB 1,931

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ETB 240

$1.42 ETB 227

5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.71

$0.27 ETB 42.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 314

$2.01 ETB 321

-1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ETB 208

$1.24 ETB 199

4.84%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

-0.02%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

$54.6K ETB 8.7M

-0.23%

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

$156 ETB 25.0K

$162 ETB 25.9K

-3.44%

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

$11.85 ETB 1,892

$12.08 ETB 1,928

-1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 ETB 20.7K

$130 ETB 20.8K

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 ETB 11.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.15 ETB 5,773

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ETB 895

$5.59 ETB 892

0.36%

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

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$80.3 ETB 12.8K

2.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

$40.8K ETB 6.5M

-0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 ETB 7,630

$46.35 ETB 7,402

3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

$76.4 ETB 12.2K

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

$92.8 ETB 14.8K

0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 18.0K

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ETB 119.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ETB 80.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 ETB 289.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 ETB 144.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,982 ETB 316.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$501 ETB 80.0K

$1,008 ETB 160.9K

-50.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 ETB 32.5K

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 Addis Ababa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Hawassa vs $35.00 in Addis Ababa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $265 per month, with Hawassa cheaper across the board.

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 Addis Ababa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawassa and Addis Ababa differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($823 vs $1,389 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,234 in Hawassa and $2,084 in Addis Ababa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $823 per month in Hawassa versus $1,389 in Addis Ababa – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $823 in Hawassa versus $1,389 in Addis Ababa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawassa but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Hawassa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Hawassa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.