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: $1,517 in Belgrade versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa.

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

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

Living in Belgrade is roughly 10% more expensive than Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 RSD 1,226

$4.55 ETB 718

167.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.60 RSD 4,989

$35.04 ETB 5,522

41.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 RSD 1,174

$6.41 ETB 1,010

82.22%

Cappuccino

$2.86 RSD 288

$1.24 ETB 196

130.65%

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

$2.70 RSD 272

$0.69 ETB 109

291.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 218

$0.43 ETB 67.7

404.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 RSD 357

$0.99 ETB 156

258.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RSD 405

$2.97 ETB 468

35.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RSD 153

$1.44 ETB 228

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RSD 92.5

$1.33 ETB 210

-30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 307

$2.17 ETB 343

40.55%

Eggs

$2.85 RSD 287

$2.43 ETB 383

17.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 RSD 1,153

$7.29 ETB 1,148

57.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 RSD 750

$13.73 ETB 2,164

-45.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 RSD 1,304

$13.09 ETB 2,063

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 RSD 142

$6.68 ETB 1,053

-78.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 RSD 190

$0.98 ETB 154

92.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 197

$2.19 ETB 345

-10.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RSD 279

$0.99 ETB 157

180.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 103

$0.68 ETB 107

51.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 RSD 75.9

$1.81 ETB 286

-58.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 89.1

$0.68 ETB 108

30.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 78.9

$0.64 ETB 101

21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 RSD 469

$4.02 ETB 633

15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 RSD 970

$5.77 ETB 909

67.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.3

$0.99 ETB 156

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RSD 152

$1.89 ETB 298

-20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 RSD 98.2

$0.43 ETB 67.9

127.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 ETB 1,925

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 RSD 311

$1.48 ETB 234

108.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RSD 90.1

$0.27 ETB 42.16

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 RSD 1,797

$2.05 ETB 323

771.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 RSD 184

$1.24 ETB 195

47.58%

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

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

-44.19%

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

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

-49.90%

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

$210 RSD 21.1K

$157 ETB 24.8K

33.41%

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

$22.09 RSD 2,221

$12.11 ETB 1,908

82.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.98 RSD 3,316

$129 ETB 20.3K

-74.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 RSD 3,879

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

-44.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.97 RSD 2,109

$36.71 ETB 5,786

-42.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 RSD 774

$5.86 ETB 923

31.40%

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

$449 RSD 45.2K

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

453.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,106 RSD 915.7K

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

-77.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 RSD 10.1K

$46.81 ETB 7,377

114.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 RSD 4,265

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

-42.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.3K

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 RSD 11.9K

$115 ETB 18.2K

2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 RSD 85.7K

$758 ETB 119.5K

12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RSD 57.4K

$495 ETB 78.0K

15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 RSD 157.8K

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

-13.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 RSD 103.0K

$890 ETB 140.2K

15.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,218 RSD 524.8K

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

163.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 317.3K

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

212.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,234 RSD 124.1K

$206 ETB 32.5K

498.03%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $852 in Belgrade and $758 in Addis Ababa. 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: $50.0 in Belgrade vs $35.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,517 vs $1,383 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Belgrade pays 498% more on average, 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: $852 in Belgrade versus $758 in Addis Ababa. 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 $1,517 per month in Belgrade versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa – 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, 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 10% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.