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: $823 in Hawassa versus $2,359 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in Hawassa versus $3,498 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,637 in Hawassa versus $4,638 in Barcelona.

Living in Hawassa costs roughly 65% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hawassa is 38% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ETB 713

$17.15 €14.86

-73.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 ETB 5,534

$68.1 €58.9

-49.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ETB 1,044

$13.64 €11.82

-52.13%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ETB 205

$2.78 €2.41

-53.96%

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

$0.64 ETB 103

$2.82 €2.44

-77.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$1.96 €1.70

-77.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 163

$4.43 €3.84

-76.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ETB 488

$4.61 €3.99

-33.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 223

$1.27 €1.10

9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 213

$2.13 €1.85

-37.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 158

$1.99 €1.72

-50.25%

Eggs

$1.58 ETB 253

$3.37 €2.92

-53.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 ETB 1,119

$18.96 €16.42

-63.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 ETB 2,227

$9.53 €8.26

46.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 ETB 2,118

$18.73 €16.22

-29.15%

Apples (1kg)

$6.81 ETB 1,088

$2.65 €2.29

156.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$2.35 €2.04

-56.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ETB 364

$2.09 €1.81

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ETB 159

$2.73 €2.37

-63.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$1.96 €1.70

-67.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 306

$1.81 €1.56

5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 112

$1.51 €1.31

-53.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.89 €0.77

-29.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ETB 620

$6.78 €5.87

-42.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 ETB 871

$7.92 €6.86

-31.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.37 €1.19

-27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ETB 307

$2.40 €2.08

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ETB 240

$4.58 €3.96

-67.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.71

$2.04 €1.77

-86.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 314

$28.72 €24.87

-93.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ETB 208

$1.82 €1.58

-28.57%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$39.3K €34.0K

38.07%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

$32.5K €28.1K

67.84%

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

$156 ETB 25.0K

$187 €162

-16.17%

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

$11.85 ETB 1,892

$22.29 €19.30

-46.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 ETB 20.7K

$36.37 €31.50

257.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ETB 895

$10.77 €9.33

-47.91%

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

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$725 €628

-88.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

$15.2K €13.1K

168.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 ETB 7,630

$87.9 €76.1

-45.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

$36.81 €31.88

108.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

$103 €89.6

-9.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 18.0K

$119 €103

-5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$501 ETB 80.0K

$5,243 €4,541

-90.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Hawassa vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 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 187% in total monthly costs ($823 vs $2,359 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,234 in Hawassa and $3,539 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 $82.5 in Hawassa versus $725 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 $35.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $823 in Hawassa versus $2,359 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 187% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.