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: $822 in Hawassa versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in Hawassa versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Hawassa versus $4,582 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 39% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 689

$17.61 €15.08

-74.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ETB 5,484

$68.7 €58.8

-48.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 ETB 1,029

$13.75 €11.77

-52.15%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 193

$2.76 €2.36

-55.43%

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

$0.64 ETB 100

$2.78 €2.38

-76.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.5

$2.05 €1.75

-79.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 160

$4.61 €3.94

-77.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 464

$4.59 €3.93

-35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 218

$1.28 €1.10

8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 209

$2.11 €1.81

-36.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 161

$1.97 €1.69

-47.72%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 251

$3.44 €2.95

-53.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 ETB 1,127

$18.83 €16.12

-61.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 ETB 2,175

$9.45 €8.09

47.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 ETB 2,075

$19.01 €16.27

-30.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,057

$2.72 €2.33

148.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 152

$2.37 €2.03

-59.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 338

$2.08 €1.78

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ETB 141

$2.76 €2.36

-67.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 105

$1.97 €1.69

-65.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 299

$1.79 €1.53

6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 107

$1.51 €1.29

-54.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 98.1

$0.90 €0.77

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 629

$6.76 €5.79

-40.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 900

$7.55 €6.46

-23.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 156

$1.44 €1.23

-30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 288

$2.41 €2.06

-23.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ETB 233

$4.43 €3.79

-66.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.05

$2.05 €1.76

-86.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 320

$29.33 €25.11

-93.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 194

$1.89 €1.62

-34.39%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

$38.7K €33.2K

42.27%

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

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

$32.4K €27.7K

63.79%

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

$158 ETB 24.7K

$189 €161

-16.20%

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

$11.98 ETB 1,872

$22.21 €19.01

-46.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.5K

$36.82 €31.52

255.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ETB 866

$11.05 €9.46

-49.86%

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

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

$726 €622

-88.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

$15.2K €13.0K

168.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ETB 7,470

$88.3 €75.6

-45.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

$36.98 €31.66

102.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

$103 €87.8

-9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.2K

$119 €102

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 ETB 78.5K

$4,849 €4,151

-89.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Hawassa vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $320 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 185% in total monthly costs ($822 vs $2,341 including rent). Hawassa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,232 in Hawassa and $3,512 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 $81.7 in Hawassa versus $726 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 $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $822 in Hawassa versus $2,341 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 185% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.