The paper is an in-depth study of the expression of comparison in Kambaata, a Highland East Cushitic language of Ethiopia. It discusses not only quantitative comparison, i.e. comparison of relative and absolute inequality and comparison of equality, but also analyses the morphosyntax and syntax of expressions of qualitative comparison, i.e. comparison of similarity. Apart from predicative constructions, attributive comparative, superlative, equative and similative constructions are taken into account. In comparative constructions (lit. 'X is tall from Y'), the standard of comparison is marked by the ablative case, as in most languages spoken at the Horn of Africa. Kambaata distinguishes between two superlative constructions, one of which is based on the comparative construction ('X is tall from all'), while the other is characterised by a locative standard of comparison ('X is tall among Y'). Kambaata has furthermore two equative constructions. The first one is based on the similative construction ('X is tall like Y'), the second one is a periphrastic construction 'X is tall to the extent Y'. The enclitic morpheme which marks the standard of comparison in similative constructions is argued to originate from a noun meaning 'manner'.