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: $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $1,508 in Belgrade.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,079 in Addis Ababa versus $2,303 in Belgrade.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Addis Ababa versus $3,098 in Belgrade.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 5% less than in Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Addis Ababa 7% above, Belgrade 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ETB 704

$12.41 RSD 1,270

-64.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.55 ETB 5,634

$49.13 RSD 5,026

-27.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ETB 1,058

$11.96 RSD 1,224

-44.23%

Cappuccino

$1.30 ETB 206

$2.83 RSD 289

-54.06%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$2.71 RSD 277

-76.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.4

$2.17 RSD 222

-80.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ETB 154

$3.36 RSD 344

-71.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 465

$3.92 RSD 401

-25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ETB 231

$1.47 RSD 150

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 211

$0.94 RSD 96.5

41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 341

$3.05 RSD 312

-29.51%

Eggs

$2.40 ETB 380

$2.87 RSD 294

-16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ETB 1,128

$11.34 RSD 1,160

-37.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 ETB 2,173

$7.48 RSD 766

83.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 ETB 2,071

$12.97 RSD 1,327

0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$6.66 ETB 1,055

$1.42 RSD 145

369.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 165

$1.90 RSD 194

-45.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 348

$1.96 RSD 201

11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$2.69 RSD 276

-63.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.9

$1.03 RSD 105

-38.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 303

$0.80 RSD 81.7

138.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 105

$0.89 RSD 90.6

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.78 RSD 80.1

-12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ETB 629

$4.53 RSD 463

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 901

$8.49 RSD 868

-33.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 164

$0.88 RSD 89.9

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ETB 290

$1.60 RSD 164

14.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.97 RSD 99.2

-54.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.19 ETB 1,932

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 226

$3.23 RSD 330

-55.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.37

$0.96 RSD 97.9

-69.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 323

$17.63 RSD 1,804

-88.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.81 RSD 185

-30.94%

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

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

80.43%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

107.57%

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

$163 ETB 25.8K

$205 RSD 21.0K

-20.76%

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

$12.23 ETB 1,938

$22.48 RSD 2,300

-45.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.5K

$32.43 RSD 3,317

298.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

$39.00 RSD 3,989

77.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 ETB 5,752

$21.19 RSD 2,168

71.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ETB 923

$8.04 RSD 823

-27.61%

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

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

$455 RSD 46.6K

-82.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

$9,282 RSD 949.5K

330.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ETB 7,568

$101 RSD 10.3K

-52.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

$42.53 RSD 4,351

74.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

$112 RSD 11.5K

-18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$120 RSD 12.3K

-3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ETB 116.0K

$876 RSD 89.6K

-16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ETB 81.1K

$576 RSD 58.9K

-11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ETB 140.3K

$999 RSD 102.2K

-11.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

$5,543 RSD 567.0K

-64.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 ETB 157.2K

$3,206 RSD 328.0K

-69.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 31.7K

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

-83.51%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Addis Ababa and $876 in Belgrade. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belgrade pays 506% 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: $36.00 in Addis Ababa vs $49.00 in Belgrade. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $240, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,429 vs $1,508 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 506% lower in Belgrade. 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: $732 in Addis Ababa versus $876 in Belgrade. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Belgrade pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,508 in Belgrade – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $1,508 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 6% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.