Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hawassa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hawassa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $793 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,222 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $1,650 in Hawassa, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 185% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Hawassa is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$4.45 ETB 705

258.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$35.62 ETB 5,645

77.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.63 ETB 1,051

56.56%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.25 ETB 198

123.20%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.63 ETB 99.5

271.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.43 ETB 68.9

265.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.02 ETB 162

236.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.99 ETB 474

30.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.45 ETB 230

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.30 ETB 205

36.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.02 ETB 162

67.65%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.53 ETB 243

105.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$6.99 ETB 1,108

95.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$13.85 ETB 2,196

-42.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.16 ETB 2,086

17.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$6.79 ETB 1,076

-66.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.97 ETB 153

69.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.16 ETB 343

-10.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.98 ETB 155

156.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.69 ETB 109

159.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.81 ETB 288

11.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.70 ETB 111

181.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.64 ETB 101

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.09 ETB 648

66.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.56 ETB 881

1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.00 ETB 159

39.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.91 ETB 303

58.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.43 ETB 227

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.29 ETB 46.44

193.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$1.95 ETB 309

837.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.23 ETB 196

61.79%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

-36.11%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

-27.31%

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

$146 €126

$161 ETB 25.6K

-9.48%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$11.88 ETB 1,882

72.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$129 ETB 20.4K

-69.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$5.78 ETB 917

64.71%

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

$608 €524

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

651.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

-59.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$47.67 ETB 7,556

117.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

-44.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$116 ETB 18.4K

3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$500 ETB 79.3K

765.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-77.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Hawassa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $257 – making Hawassa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon, $793 in Hawassa – roughly 185% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,190 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $36.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $793 in Hawassa to $2,263 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hawassa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.