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: $822 in Hawassa versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,202 in Hawassa versus $1,940 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,582 in Hawassa versus $2,571 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Hawassa costs roughly 37% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hawassa 40% lower, Addis Ababa 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 ETB 640

$3.93 ETB 632

1.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.30 ETB 6,961

$41.97 ETB 6,747

3.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,065

$6.40 ETB 1,028

3.59%

Cappuccino

$0.90 ETB 144

$0.96 ETB 155

-6.25%

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

$0.58 ETB 93.5

$0.63 ETB 102

-7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.69 ETB 110

-7.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 131

$0.78 ETB 125

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ETB 358

$2.21 ETB 355

0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ETB 178

$1.05 ETB 169

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$1.21 ETB 195

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 158

$2.10 ETB 337

-53.33%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 258

$1.74 ETB 279

-8.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ETB 1,154

$7.32 ETB 1,177

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ETB 1,634

$10.07 ETB 1,618

0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ETB 1,468

$9.13 ETB 1,467

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 ETB 877

$5.30 ETB 852

3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 ETB 103

$0.68 ETB 110

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ETB 361

$2.15 ETB 346

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.7

$0.49 ETB 79.5

2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.10 ETB 176

-0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$0.68 ETB 110

1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ETB 98.7

$0.56 ETB 90.8

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 ETB 1,321

$7.82 ETB 1,256

5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ETB 881

$5.52 ETB 887

-0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 204

$1.21 ETB 195

4.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ETB 82.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 ETB 3,413

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 210

$1.34 ETB 216

-2.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.85

$0.29 ETB 47.08

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 330

$2.01 ETB 323

1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ETB 155

$0.94 ETB 152

2.13%

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

$54.2K ETB 8.7M

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

-2.68%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.8M

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

-3.58%

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

$207 ETB 33.3K

$204 ETB 32.8K

1.48%

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

$7.44 ETB 1,196

$7.41 ETB 1,191

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$216 ETB 34.8K

$209 ETB 33.6K

3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 ETB 6,965

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.34 ETB 5,842

Cinema Ticket

$3.67 ETB 590

$3.81 ETB 612

-3.67%

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

$135 ETB 21.8K

$135 ETB 21.6K

0.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K ETB 4.8M

$30.2K ETB 4.9M

-2.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.27 ETB 5,349

$33.41 ETB 5,371

-0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 ETB 11.2K

$70.5 ETB 11.3K

-1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ETB 12.5K

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 ETB 13.1K

$81.9 ETB 13.2K

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ETB 113.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ETB 63.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 ETB 363.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 ETB 122.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ETB 317.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 ETB 79.0K

$1,016 ETB 163.3K

-51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ETB 32.4K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Hawassa vs $42.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $210, with Hawassa cheaper for home cooking.

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 59% in total monthly costs ($822 vs $1,310 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,232 in Hawassa and $1,965 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 1% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $822 per month in Hawassa versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in Hawassa versus $1,310 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 59% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.