Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Addis Ababa

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,020 a month against $1,307 in Addis Ababa, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Addis Ababa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

63

Cost of Living Index in Addis Ababa
Learn more

Addis Ababa Living Index

Jump to prices

Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,020

/mo nomad

Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,307

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma and in Addis Ababa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in Jimma versus $1,307 in Addis Ababa.

Jimma $1,020
Addis Ababa $1,307

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Jimma versus $1,926 in Addis Ababa.

Jimma $1,406
Addis Ababa $1,926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,792 in Jimma versus $2,544 in Addis Ababa.

Jimma $1,792
Addis Ababa $2,544

Living in Jimma costs roughly 22% less than in Addis Ababa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jimma 24% lower, Addis Ababa 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ETB 705

$3.92 ETB 630

12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.93 ETB 6,730

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 ETB 1,072

Cappuccino

$1.11 ETB 178

$0.88 ETB 142

26.14%

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

$0.58 ETB 93.3

$0.63 ETB 100

-7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.8

$0.64 ETB 102

-32.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 ETB 458

$0.82 ETB 131

248.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ETB 220

$2.28 ETB 365

-39.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ETB 176

$1.06 ETB 170

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 ETB 57.0

$1.22 ETB 195

-71.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ETB 176

$2.22 ETB 357

-50.45%

Eggs

$3.96 ETB 636

$1.76 ETB 282

125.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 ETB 1,153

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.18 ETB 1,795

$10.25 ETB 1,645

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 ETB 1,812

$9.26 ETB 1,486

21.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 ETB 349

$5.42 ETB 871

-59.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ETB 182

$0.65 ETB 104

73.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ETB 523

$2.19 ETB 352

48.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ETB 93.5

$0.70 ETB 112

-17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ETB 93.2

$0.50 ETB 80.4

16.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ETB 535

$1.04 ETB 167

220.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ETB 104

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ETB 87.9

$0.60 ETB 97.0

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 ETB 1,316

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 ETB 1,089

$5.76 ETB 924

17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ETB 177

$0.68 ETB 109

63.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ETB 229

$1.27 ETB 204

12.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ETB 33.58

$0.52 ETB 83.7

-59.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.56 ETB 2,176

$21.49 ETB 3,449

-36.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ETB 218

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ETB 273

$2.02 ETB 325

-15.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 ETB 273

$0.90 ETB 144

88.89%

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

$50.0K ETB 8.0M

$56.0K ETB 9.0M

-10.67%

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

$56.2K ETB 9.0M

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

-0.65%

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

$61.8 ETB 9,921

$206 ETB 33.1K

-70.02%

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

$36.05 ETB 5,786

$7.16 ETB 1,149

403.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$304 ETB 48.8K

$216 ETB 34.6K

41.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 ETB 5,375

$44.41 ETB 7,128

-24.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.94 ETB 5,929

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 ETB 599

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

$134 ETB 21.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.22 ETB 5,331

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.1 ETB 14.3K

$69.9 ETB 11.2K

27.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ETB 21.1K

$79.1 ETB 12.7K

66.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ETB 18.1K

$84.0 ETB 13.5K

33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 ETB 33.0K

$711 ETB 114.1K

-71.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ETB 25.0K

$391 ETB 62.8K

-60.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ETB 66.7K

$2,255 ETB 361.9K

-81.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ETB 49.9K

$786 ETB 126.2K

-60.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,215 ETB 355.5K

$1,965 ETB 315.4K

12.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ETB 177.6K

$1,004 ETB 161.1K

10.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 ETB 35.7K

$200 ETB 32.1K

11.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

-51.35%

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

Last update for Jimma: October 11, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$429 32.8%

Accommodation & Living

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$391 29.9%

Groceries & Markets

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$213 16.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$120 9.2%

Eating Out

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$76 5.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$52 4%

Getting Around

Jimma

–

Addis Ababa

$26 2%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $205 in Jimma and $711 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jimma pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Jimma

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa

🕒 Local time

20:55 8:55 PM

Same time as Jimma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,573

3,500,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jimma Addis Ababa 260 km

From you

Jimma
Addis Ababa

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

Jimma vs Addis Ababa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jimma and Addis Ababa differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,020 vs $1,307 including rent). Jimma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Jimma, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $205 in Jimma versus $711 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jimma runs roughly 58% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $1,020 per month in Jimma versus $1,307 in Addis Ababa – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,020 in Jimma versus $1,307 in Addis Ababa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jimma but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Jimma 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 Jimma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.