Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Bahir Dar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $374 a month against $838 in Hawassa, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hawassa
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Hawassa Living Index

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Hawassa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$838

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hawassa and in Bahir Dar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hawassa and in Bahir Dar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $838 per month in Hawassa vs $374 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Hawassa $838
Bahir Dar $374

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Hawassa vs $569 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Hawassa $1,202
Bahir Dar $569

A family of three spends $1,566 per month in Hawassa vs $763 in Bahir Dar, rent included.

Hawassa $1,566
Bahir Dar $763

Hawassa costs about 124% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Hawassa and Bahir Dar are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 38% lower, Bahir Dar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 ETB 625

$3.44 ETB 552

12.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.15 ETB 6,777

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 ETB 1,061

Cappuccino

$0.88 ETB 142

$1.01 ETB 163

-12.87%

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

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.38 ETB 61.5

65.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$0.48 ETB 77.2

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 125

$0.77 ETB 124

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ETB 355

$2.03 ETB 327

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ETB 169

$1.02 ETB 165

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ETB 189

$0.99 ETB 159

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.01 ETB 162

1.98%

Eggs

$1.58 ETB 254

$1.78 ETB 286

-11.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 ETB 1,186

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 ETB 1,612

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 ETB 1,491

$10.01 ETB 1,610

-7.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ETB 841

$3.02 ETB 485

73.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.99 ETB 159

-36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ETB 361

$2.04 ETB 329

9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 112

$0.84 ETB 135

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ETB 75.0

$0.62 ETB 99.8

-24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.18 ETB 189

-7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 106

$1.02 ETB 163

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.7

$0.49 ETB 78.0

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.91 ETB 1,272

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 ETB 908

$3.98 ETB 639

41.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ETB 108

$0.77 ETB 123

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 197

$1.97 ETB 316

-38.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.39

$0.49 ETB 78.4

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 325

$1.98 ETB 319

2.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ETB 153

$1.03 ETB 165

-7.77%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

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

$55.5K ETB 8.9M

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

$205 ETB 33.0K

$100 ETB 16.1K

104.40%

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

$7.48 ETB 1,202

$9.84 ETB 1,582

-23.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$216 ETB 34.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 ETB 8,137

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.3 ETB 9,690

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 ETB 613

$6.12 ETB 985

-37.75%

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

$616 ETB 99.1K

$50.8 ETB 8,173

1111.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.38 ETB 5,368

$50.7 ETB 8,159

-34.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 ETB 11.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 ETB 12.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 ETB 13.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 ETB 321.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 ETB 80.3K

$1,513 ETB 243.2K

-66.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.2K

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hawassa

$429 51.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Hawassa

$205 24.5%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hawassa

$119 14.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Hawassa

$75 8.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hawassa

$7.6 * 0.9%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Hawassa

$2.7 * 0.3%

Bahir Dar

–

Accommodation & Living

Hawassa

- * 0%

Bahir Dar

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Hawassa

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

06:20 6:20 AM

Same time as Hawassa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

160,000

350,000

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hawassa Bahir Dar 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hawassa
Bahir Dar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bahir Dar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawassa costs about 124% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,258 per month in Hawassa and $561 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $838 in Hawassa and $374 in Bahir Dar. That makes Bahir Dar about 55% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Hawassa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Hawassa at $838. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hawassa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hawassa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $374 in Bahir Dar to $838 in Hawassa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.