Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Belgrade Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Belgrade

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $1,517 in Belgrade.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Addis Ababa versus $2,312 in Belgrade.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Addis Ababa versus $3,108 in Belgrade.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 9% less than in Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Addis Ababa 3% above, Belgrade 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ETB 718

$12.19 RSD 1,226

-62.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ETB 5,522

$49.60 RSD 4,989

-29.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 ETB 1,010

$11.68 RSD 1,174

-45.12%

Cappuccino

$1.24 ETB 196

$2.86 RSD 288

-56.64%

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

$0.69 ETB 109

$2.70 RSD 272

-74.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.7

$2.17 RSD 218

-80.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 156

$3.55 RSD 357

-72.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 468

$4.02 RSD 405

-26.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.52 RSD 153

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 210

$0.92 RSD 92.5

44.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$3.05 RSD 307

-28.85%

Eggs

$2.43 ETB 383

$2.85 RSD 287

-14.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ETB 1,148

$11.46 RSD 1,153

-36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 ETB 2,164

$7.46 RSD 750

84.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ETB 2,063

$12.96 RSD 1,304

1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 ETB 1,053

$1.41 RSD 142

373.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 154

$1.89 RSD 190

-48.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$1.96 RSD 197

11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 157

$2.78 RSD 279

-64.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 107

$1.03 RSD 103

-33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 286

$0.75 RSD 75.9

141.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.89 RSD 89.1

-23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.78 RSD 78.9

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 633

$4.66 RSD 469

-13.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 909

$9.65 RSD 970

-40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$0.87 RSD 87.3

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 298

$1.51 RSD 152

25.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ETB 67.9

$0.98 RSD 98.2

-56.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 ETB 1,925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ETB 234

$3.09 RSD 311

-52.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.16

$0.90 RSD 90.1

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 323

$17.87 RSD 1,797

-88.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 195

$1.83 RSD 184

-32.24%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

79.16%

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

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

99.60%

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

$157 ETB 24.8K

$210 RSD 21.1K

-25.05%

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

$12.11 ETB 1,908

$22.09 RSD 2,221

-45.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.3K

$32.98 RSD 3,316

290.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

$38.57 RSD 3,879

80.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.71 ETB 5,786

$20.97 RSD 2,109

75.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ETB 923

$7.70 RSD 774

-23.90%

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

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

$449 RSD 45.2K

-81.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

$9,106 RSD 915.7K

350.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 ETB 7,377

$100 RSD 10.1K

-53.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

$42.41 RSD 4,265

74.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

$113 RSD 11.3K

-17.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.2K

$118 RSD 11.9K

-2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ETB 119.5K

$852 RSD 85.7K

-10.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ETB 78.0K

$571 RSD 57.4K

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

$1,569 RSD 157.8K

15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ETB 140.2K

$1,024 RSD 103.0K

-13.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

$5,218 RSD 524.8K

-62.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

$3,155 RSD 317.3K

-68.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 32.5K

$1,234 RSD 124.1K

-83.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

204.11%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Addis Ababa and $852 in Belgrade. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belgrade pays 498% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Addis Ababa vs $50.0 in Belgrade. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $243, with Belgrade cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Addis Ababa and Belgrade differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,383 vs $1,517 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Belgrade earns 498% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $758 in Addis Ababa versus $852 in Belgrade. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Belgrade pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,383 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,517 in Belgrade – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $1,517 in Belgrade, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Belgrade. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa 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, Addis Ababa and Belgrade 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 Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.