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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,658 in Belgrade versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,486 in Belgrade versus $1,940 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,313 in Belgrade versus $2,571 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Belgrade is roughly 27% more expensive than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belgrade is 20% above, Addis Ababa is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 RSD 1,374

$3.93 ETB 632

246.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 RSD 6,055

$41.97 ETB 6,747

43.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.01 RSD 1,311

$6.40 ETB 1,028

103.28%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RSD 321

$0.96 ETB 155

231.25%

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

$2.93 RSD 295

$0.63 ETB 102

365.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RSD 251

$0.69 ETB 110

260.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 RSD 361

$0.78 ETB 125

358.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 RSD 408

$2.21 ETB 355

83.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RSD 150

$1.05 ETB 169

41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RSD 120

$1.21 ETB 195

-1.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 RSD 290

$2.10 ETB 337

37.14%

Eggs

$2.84 RSD 287

$1.74 ETB 279

63.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 RSD 1,198

$7.32 ETB 1,177

62.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 RSD 739

$10.07 ETB 1,618

-27.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 RSD 1,645

$9.13 ETB 1,467

78.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 177

$5.30 ETB 852

-66.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 RSD 187

$0.68 ETB 110

173.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 192

$2.15 ETB 346

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 RSD 322

$0.66 ETB 106

384.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 93.2

$0.49 ETB 79.5

87.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RSD 73.3

$1.10 ETB 176

-33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 RSD 82.2

$0.68 ETB 110

20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 69.2

$0.56 ETB 90.8

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 RSD 482

$7.82 ETB 1,256

-38.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 RSD 994

$5.52 ETB 887

78.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RSD 91.1

$0.72 ETB 116

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RSD 154

$1.21 ETB 195

26.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ETB 82.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 ETB 3,413

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 RSD 323

$1.34 ETB 216

139.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RSD 103

$0.29 ETB 47.08

251.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 RSD 1,791

$2.01 ETB 323

784.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 RSD 200

$0.94 ETB 152

111.70%

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

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

-43.96%

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

$25.2K RSD 2.5M

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

-55.47%

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

$223 RSD 22.5K

$204 ETB 32.8K

9.38%

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

$26.22 RSD 2,642

$7.41 ETB 1,191

253.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.14 RSD 3,643

$209 ETB 33.6K

-82.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 RSD 4,329

$43.33 ETB 6,965

-0.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 RSD 2,372

$36.34 ETB 5,842

-35.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 RSD 883

$3.81 ETB 612

130.18%

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

$418 RSD 42.1K

$135 ETB 21.6K

210.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

$30.2K ETB 4.9M

-61.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 RSD 11.3K

$33.41 ETB 5,371

234.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.51 RSD 4,889

$70.5 ETB 11.3K

-31.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 RSD 12.1K

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

52.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 RSD 16.3K

$81.9 ETB 13.2K

97.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 88.3K

$703 ETB 113.0K

24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 RSD 59.6K

$396 ETB 63.7K

49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 RSD 161.5K

$2,262 ETB 363.6K

-29.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 RSD 99.4K

$764 ETB 122.8K

29.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,708 RSD 575.3K

$1,975 ETB 317.5K

189.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,286 RSD 331.2K

$1,016 ETB 163.3K

223.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RSD 128.6K

$201 ETB 32.4K

533.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

18.5

-74.92%

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

Last update for Belgrade: September 6, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $876 in Belgrade and $703 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belgrade pays 533% 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: $60.0 in Belgrade vs $42.00 in Addis Ababa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $210 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

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

Belgrade and Addis Ababa differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,658 vs $1,310 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 533% higher in Belgrade, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $876 in Belgrade versus $703 in Addis Ababa. 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 $1,658 per month in Belgrade versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,310 in Addis Ababa versus $1,658 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, Belgrade and Addis Ababa 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 27% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.