Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawassa and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $793 in Hawassa versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,222 in Hawassa versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,650 in Hawassa versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Hawassa costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hawassa is 41% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ETB 705

$17.08 €14.72

-73.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.62 ETB 5,645

$69.2 €59.7

-48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,051

$13.78 €11.87

-51.89%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ETB 198

$2.76 €2.37

-54.71%

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

$0.63 ETB 99.5

$2.79 €2.40

-77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.9

$1.99 €1.72

-78.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 162

$4.36 €3.76

-76.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ETB 474

$4.74 €4.09

-36.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 230

$1.29 €1.11

12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ETB 205

$2.05 €1.77

-36.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

$1.99 €1.71

-48.74%

Eggs

$1.53 ETB 243

$3.39 €2.92

-54.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ETB 1,108

$18.81 €16.21

-62.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 ETB 2,196

$9.36 €8.07

47.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ETB 2,086

$19.12 €16.48

-31.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 ETB 1,076

$2.70 €2.32

151.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$2.34 €2.02

-58.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 343

$2.12 €1.83

1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$2.85 €2.46

-65.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.97 €1.70

-64.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 288

$1.80 €1.55

0.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 111

$1.45 €1.25

-51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.86 €0.74

-25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ETB 648

$6.78 €5.84

-39.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ETB 881

$7.90 €6.81

-29.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.39 €1.20

-28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ETB 303

$2.37 €2.04

-19.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 227

$4.46 €3.84

-67.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.44

$2.05 €1.77

-85.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 309

$29.55 €25.46

-93.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ETB 196

$1.82 €1.56

-32.42%

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

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

$38.8K €33.5K

41.23%

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

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

$33.1K €28.5K

64.36%

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

$161 ETB 25.6K

$189 €163

-14.66%

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

$11.88 ETB 1,882

$22.80 €19.65

-47.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

$37.59 €32.39

241.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ETB 917

$10.82 €9.33

-46.58%

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

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

$728 €628

-88.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

$14.8K €12.7K

173.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.67 ETB 7,556

$88.6 €76.4

-46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

$36.85 €31.75

104.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

$102 €87.9

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$116 €100

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 ETB 79.3K

$5,176 €4,460

-90.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

401.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Hawassa vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $319 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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawassa and Barcelona differ by about 195% in total monthly costs ($793 vs $2,337 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 $3,505 in Barcelona 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.

Childcare runs $80.9 in Hawassa versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hawassa – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $793 in Hawassa versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawassa but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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.

Safety-wise, Hawassa and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hawassa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.