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: $793 in Hawassa versus $1,401 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Hawassa versus $2,085 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,650 in Hawassa versus $2,770 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Hawassa costs roughly 43% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hawassa is 41% below, Addis Ababa is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ETB 705

$4.50 ETB 713

-1.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.62 ETB 5,645

$34.53 ETB 5,473

3.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,051

$6.43 ETB 1,019

3.11%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.24 ETB 197

0.81%

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

$0.63 ETB 99.5

$0.69 ETB 110

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.9

$0.47 ETB 74.7

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 162

$1.03 ETB 163

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ETB 474

$2.91 ETB 461

2.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 230

$1.44 ETB 228

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ETB 205

$1.30 ETB 206

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

$2.10 ETB 333

-51.43%

Eggs

$1.53 ETB 243

$2.41 ETB 382

-36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ETB 1,108

$7.30 ETB 1,157

-4.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 ETB 2,196

$13.78 ETB 2,185

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ETB 2,086

$13.34 ETB 2,115

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 ETB 1,076

$6.76 ETB 1,071

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$0.97 ETB 154

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 343

$2.16 ETB 342

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$0.97 ETB 154

1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 109

$0.67 ETB 107

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 288

$1.90 ETB 302

-4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 111

$0.64 ETB 102

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.64 ETB 102

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ETB 648

$3.90 ETB 618

4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ETB 881

$5.57 ETB 883

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.04 ETB 164

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ETB 303

$1.85 ETB 293

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.14 ETB 1,924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 227

$1.45 ETB 229

-1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.44

$0.27 ETB 42.74

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 309

$2.04 ETB 323

-4.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ETB 196

$1.29 ETB 204

-4.65%

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

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

0.50%

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

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

$53.0K ETB 8.4M

2.61%

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

$161 ETB 25.6K

$158 ETB 25.1K

1.92%

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

$11.88 ETB 1,882

$11.79 ETB 1,868

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

$132 ETB 20.9K

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.3 ETB 11.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.95 ETB 5,699

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ETB 917

$5.72 ETB 907

1.05%

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

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

$82.2 ETB 13.0K

-1.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

$40.9K ETB 6.5M

-1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.67 ETB 7,556

$48.01 ETB 7,610

-0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

$75.7 ETB 12.0K

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

-0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$113 ETB 17.9K

2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ETB 118.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ETB 79.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 ETB 283.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 ETB 143.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ETB 313.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 ETB 79.3K

$1,021 ETB 161.9K

-51.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Hawassa vs $35.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $266, 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 77% in total monthly costs ($793 vs $1,401 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,190 in Hawassa and $2,101 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 $793 per month in Hawassa versus $1,401 in Addis Ababa – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $793 in Hawassa versus $1,401 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 77% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.