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

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

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

Living in Belgrade is roughly 6% more expensive than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.41 RSD 1,270

$4.44 ETB 704

179.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 RSD 5,026

$35.55 ETB 5,634

38.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 RSD 1,224

$6.67 ETB 1,058

79.31%

Cappuccino

$2.83 RSD 289

$1.30 ETB 206

117.69%

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

$2.71 RSD 277

$0.63 ETB 100

330.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 222

$0.43 ETB 68.4

404.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RSD 344

$0.97 ETB 154

246.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RSD 401

$2.93 ETB 465

33.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RSD 150

$1.46 ETB 231

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 RSD 96.5

$1.33 ETB 211

-29.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 312

$2.15 ETB 341

41.86%

Eggs

$2.87 RSD 294

$2.40 ETB 380

19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 RSD 1,160

$7.12 ETB 1,128

59.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 RSD 766

$13.71 ETB 2,173

-45.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 RSD 1,327

$13.07 ETB 2,071

-0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 RSD 145

$6.66 ETB 1,055

-78.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 194

$1.04 ETB 165

82.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 201

$2.19 ETB 348

-10.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RSD 276

$0.98 ETB 155

174.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 105

$0.63 ETB 99.9

63.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 81.7

$1.91 ETB 303

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 90.6

$0.66 ETB 105

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 80.1

$0.68 ETB 108

14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 RSD 463

$3.97 ETB 629

14.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 RSD 868

$5.68 ETB 901

49.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RSD 89.9

$1.04 ETB 164

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RSD 164

$1.83 ETB 290

-12.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RSD 99.2

$0.44 ETB 69.8

120.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.19 ETB 1,932

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 RSD 330

$1.43 ETB 226

125.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RSD 97.9

$0.29 ETB 46.37

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 RSD 1,804

$2.04 ETB 323

764.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 185

$1.25 ETB 198

44.80%

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

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

-44.58%

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

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

-51.82%

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

$205 RSD 21.0K

$163 ETB 25.8K

26.20%

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

$22.48 RSD 2,300

$12.23 ETB 1,938

83.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 RSD 3,317

$129 ETB 20.5K

-74.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.00 RSD 3,989

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

-43.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 RSD 2,168

$36.29 ETB 5,752

-41.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RSD 823

$5.82 ETB 923

38.14%

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

$455 RSD 46.6K

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

465.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,282 RSD 949.5K

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

-76.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RSD 10.3K

$47.75 ETB 7,568

110.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 RSD 4,351

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

-42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 RSD 11.5K

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 RSD 12.3K

$116 ETB 18.4K

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 89.6K

$732 ETB 116.0K

19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 RSD 58.9K

$511 ETB 81.1K

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

-13.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 RSD 102.2K

$885 ETB 140.3K

12.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,543 RSD 567.0K

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

181.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 RSD 328.0K

$992 ETB 157.2K

223.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

$200 ETB 31.7K

506.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

-67.12%

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

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $876 in Belgrade and $732 in Addis Ababa. 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: $49.00 in Belgrade vs $36.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $265, 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

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

Belgrade and Addis Ababa differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,508 vs $1,429 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 506% 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 $732 in Addis Ababa. 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 $1,508 per month in Belgrade versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa – 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, 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 6% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.