🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $822 in Hawassa versus $1,379 in Addis Ababa.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in Hawassa versus $2,062 in Addis Ababa.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Hawassa versus $2,745 in Addis Ababa.
🙂Living in Hawassa costs roughly 40% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Hawassa is 39% below, Addis Ababa is 3% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41ETB 688
$4.41ETB 689
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.09ETB 5,476
$35.42ETB 5,528
-0.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.58ETB 1,027
$6.64ETB 1,036
-0.90%
Cappuccino
$1.23ETB 192
$1.25ETB 194
-1.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64ETB 100
$0.68ETB 106
-5.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43ETB 67.4
$0.44ETB 68.4
-2.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.02ETB 159
$0.99ETB 154
3.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97ETB 463
$3.06ETB 477
-2.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.39ETB 217
$1.43ETB 223
-2.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.34ETB 208
$1.29ETB 201
3.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.03ETB 160
$2.12ETB 331
-51.42%
Eggs
$1.60ETB 250
$2.51ETB 391
-36.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.21ETB 1,126
$7.02ETB 1,096
2.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.92ETB 2,172
$13.81ETB 2,155
0.80%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.28ETB 2,072
$13.21ETB 2,062
0.53%
Apples(1kg)
$6.76ETB 1,055
$6.65ETB 1,038
1.65%
Banana(1kg)
$0.97ETB 151
$1.03ETB 161
-5.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.16ETB 337
$2.20ETB 343
-1.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.90ETB 141
$0.97ETB 151
-7.22%
Potato(1kg)
$0.67ETB 105
$0.64ETB 99.6
4.69%
Onion(1kg)
$1.91ETB 299
$1.84ETB 287
3.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68ETB 107
$0.64ETB 99.5
6.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63ETB 97.9
$0.67ETB 105
-5.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02ETB 628
$4.11ETB 641
-2.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.76ETB 899
$5.77ETB 900
-0.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00ETB 156
$1.05ETB 164
-4.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84ETB 287
$1.82ETB 284
1.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.44ETB 68.5
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$12.16ETB 1,898
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.49ETB 233
$1.43ETB 224
4.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.27ETB 41.99
$0.29ETB 45.42
-6.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.05ETB 319
$1.97ETB 307
4.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24ETB 193
$1.24ETB 194
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$55.1KETB 8.6M
$55.9KETB 8.7M
-1.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$53.0KETB 8.3M
$53.3KETB 8.3M
-0.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$158ETB 24.7K
$159ETB 24.8K
-0.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.98ETB 1,870
$12.05ETB 1,881
-0.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$131ETB 20.4K
$132ETB 20.6K
-0.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$69.3ETB 10.8K
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$36.15ETB 5,642
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.54ETB 865
$5.74ETB 896
-3.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$81.7ETB 12.7K
$80.4ETB 12.5K
1.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$40.9KETB 6.4M
$40.7KETB 6.4M
0.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.79ETB 7,459
$47.94ETB 7,482
-0.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.0ETB 11.7K
$74.4ETB 11.6K
0.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.5ETB 14.4K
$92.3ETB 14.4K
0.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116ETB 18.1K
$113ETB 17.6K
3.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$748ETB 116.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$506ETB 79.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,793ETB 279.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$904ETB 141.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,920ETB 299.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$503ETB 78.4K
$1,022ETB 159.5K
-50.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hawassa
Addis Ababa
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$202ETB 31.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17
17
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Hawassa: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Addis Ababa: April 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.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Hawassa vs Addis Ababa: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Hawassa and Addis Ababa?
Hawassa and Addis Ababa differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($822 vs $1,379 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Hawassa compared to Addis Ababa?
You'd need roughly $1,232 in Hawassa and $2,068 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Addis Ababa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Hawassa or Addis Ababa?
All in, you'll spend $822 per month in Hawassa versus $1,379 in Addis Ababa – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $822 in Hawassa versus $1,379 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.
How does quality of life compare between Hawassa and Addis Ababa?
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.
Where should expats move: Hawassa or Addis Ababa?
Expats usually find Hawassa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Hawassa vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado