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: $1,282 in Addis Ababa versus $1,641 in Belgrade.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in Addis Ababa versus $2,474 in Belgrade.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,478 in Addis Ababa versus $3,307 in Belgrade.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 22% less than in Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 7% below, Belgrade is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ETB 663

$13.70 RSD 1,380

-70.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.92 ETB 6,932

$60.1 RSD 6,057

-28.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 ETB 1,042

$13.52 RSD 1,362

-52.29%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 154

$3.32 RSD 334

-71.39%

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

$0.63 ETB 102

$2.82 RSD 284

-77.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 110

$2.46 RSD 248

-72.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ETB 132

$3.61 RSD 363

-77.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ETB 372

$4.04 RSD 407

-42.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ETB 179

$1.50 RSD 151

-26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ETB 197

$1.15 RSD 116

6.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 351

$2.90 RSD 292

-25.17%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 278

$2.80 RSD 282

-38.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ETB 1,213

$11.67 RSD 1,176

-35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 ETB 1,640

$7.29 RSD 734

39.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 ETB 1,480

$16.46 RSD 1,659

-44.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ETB 848

$1.76 RSD 177

198.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 102

$1.89 RSD 190

-66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 355

$2.03 RSD 205

8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 113

$3.25 RSD 327

-78.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.5

$0.98 RSD 98.4

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 176

$0.70 RSD 70.5

55.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 107

$0.83 RSD 84.0

-20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.9

$0.74 RSD 74.2

-21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 ETB 1,298

$4.67 RSD 471

72.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 918

$10.17 RSD 1,025

-44.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ETB 109

$0.90 RSD 91.0

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 204

$1.57 RSD 158

-19.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 83.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.84 ETB 3,366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ETB 217

$3.08 RSD 310

-56.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.84

$1.06 RSD 107

-72.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 314

$18.08 RSD 1,823

-89.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ETB 143

$1.96 RSD 197

-55.10%

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

$55.5K ETB 9.0M

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

73.64%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.9M

$24.9K RSD 2.5M

122.33%

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

$208 ETB 33.6K

$219 RSD 22.1K

-5.06%

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

$7.26 ETB 1,172

$27.31 RSD 2,752

-73.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$211 ETB 34.0K

$36.82 RSD 3,711

472.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.06 ETB 7,116

$42.32 RSD 4,265

4.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 ETB 5,762

$23.99 RSD 2,418

48.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 ETB 602

$8.73 RSD 880

-57.27%

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

$137 ETB 22.1K

$431 RSD 43.4K

-68.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

$11.6K RSD 1.2M

163.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.94 ETB 5,319

$115 RSD 11.6K

-71.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.3K

$47.98 RSD 4,835

45.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ETB 12.6K

$122 RSD 12.3K

-36.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ETB 13.3K

$165 RSD 16.6K

-50.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ETB 116.4K

$874 RSD 88.0K

-17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ETB 64.7K

$587 RSD 59.2K

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 ETB 369.6K

$1,585 RSD 159.7K

44.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ETB 122.6K

$1,009 RSD 101.7K

-24.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 ETB 315.5K

$5,705 RSD 574.9K

-65.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 ETB 160.9K

$3,249 RSD 327.4K

-69.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.3K

$1,229 RSD 123.9K

-83.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

4.64

298.71%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Addis Ababa and $874 in Belgrade. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belgrade pays 514% 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: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $60.0 in Belgrade for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $259 per month, with Addis Ababa cheaper across the board.

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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,282 vs $1,641 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 514% 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: $721 in Addis Ababa versus $874 in Belgrade. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Belgrade. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,282 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,641 in Belgrade – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,282 in Addis Ababa versus $1,641 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 28% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.