Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Belgrade

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,057 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Belgrade outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Jimma
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
$1,057
/mo nomad
Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,538
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma and in Belgrade

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jimma and in Belgrade actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Jimma vs $1,538 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,057
  • Belgrade $1,538

A couple spends around $1,424 per month in Jimma vs $2,321 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,424
  • Belgrade $2,321

A family of three spends $1,792 per month in Jimma vs $3,105 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,792
  • Belgrade $3,105

Jimma is about 31% cheaper than Belgrade, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Jimma sits 21% below the global median, while Belgrade is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.65 ETB 747
$13.33 RSD 1,389
-65.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$58.4 RSD 6,085
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$13.58 RSD 1,414
-
Cappuccino
$1.17 ETB 188
$3.13 RSD 326
-62.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ETB 95.2
$2.77 RSD 288
-78.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ETB 70.0
$2.27 RSD 237
-80.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.81 ETB 452
$3.75 RSD 390
-25.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 ETB 230
$4.38 RSD 456
-67.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 ETB 185
$1.40 RSD 146
-17.86%
White Bread (500g)
$0.36 ETB 58.1
$1.17 RSD 122
-69.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 ETB 180
$2.71 RSD 282
-58.67%
Eggs
$4.02 ETB 646
$2.78 RSD 289
44.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$11.36 RSD 1,184
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.49 ETB 1,847
$7.01 RSD 731
63.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.42 ETB 1,835
$15.72 RSD 1,638
-27.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 ETB 370
$1.66 RSD 173
38.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 ETB 180
$1.81 RSD 188
-38.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.45 ETB 555
$1.83 RSD 190
88.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.58 ETB 93.8
$3.13 RSD 326
-81.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 ETB 87.7
$0.88 RSD 91.3
-37.50%
Onion (1kg)
$3.35 ETB 538
$0.67 RSD 70.3
400.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.81 RSD 84.4
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ETB 93.7
$0.68 RSD 70.9
-14.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.78 RSD 498
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.63 ETB 1,065
$8.54 RSD 889
-22.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 ETB 187
$0.94 RSD 97.7
23.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 ETB 234
$1.44 RSD 150
0.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ETB 35.27
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.38 ETB 2,150
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.09 RSD 322
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.02 RSD 107
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.72 ETB 276
$17.18 RSD 1,789
-89.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 ETB 279
$1.87 RSD 195
-6.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.2K ETB 8.2M
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
66.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$58.0K ETB 9.3M
$24.3K RSD 2.5M
138.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.4 ETB 10.2K
$218 RSD 22.7K
-70.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.28 ETB 5,829
$25.24 RSD 2,629
43.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$313 ETB 50.3K
$35.35 RSD 3,683
786.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.06 ETB 5,474
$41.77 RSD 4,351
-18.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.80 RSD 2,375
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$8.47 RSD 882
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$426 RSD 44.4K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$111 RSD 11.6K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$92.7 ETB 14.9K
$45.99 RSD 4,791
101.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 ETB 22.3K
$119 RSD 12.4K
16.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 ETB 18.5K
$154 RSD 16.0K
-25.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 ETB 33.4K
$821 RSD 85.6K
-74.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$160 ETB 25.7K
$561 RSD 58.4K
-71.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$415 ETB 66.7K
$1,511 RSD 157.4K
-72.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ETB 49.9K
$942 RSD 98.1K
-67.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,229 ETB 358.2K
$5,312 RSD 553.4K
-58.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,117 ETB 179.4K
$3,165 RSD 329.7K
-64.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jimma
Belgrade
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$227 ETB 36.5K
$1,228 RSD 127.9K
-81.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9
4.61
95.23%

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

Last update for Jimma: October 3, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$561
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$278
Groceries & Markets
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$246
Eating Out
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$233
Clothing & Footwear
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$194
Sport & Entertainment
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$59
Getting Around
Jimma
–
Belgrade
$8.2 *

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Jimma versus $821 in Belgrade. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 441% higher in Belgrade, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇪🇹 Jimma
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🕒 Local time
06:57 6:57 AM
05:57 5:57 AM
1 h behind Jimma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
207,573
1,197,714 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jimma Belgrade 4,420 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jimma
  • Belgrade

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Jimma vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Jimma and in Belgrade compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,057 in Jimma, $1,538 in Belgrade – roughly 46% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Jimma compared to Belgrade?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,585 per month in Jimma and $2,307 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Jimma and Belgrade?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jimma, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Jimma or Belgrade?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,057 in Jimma and $1,538 in Belgrade. That's a gap of about 46%.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 23% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jimma, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Jimma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Jimma or Belgrade?
Families tend to lean toward Jimma – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Jimma or Belgrade safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Jimma and Belgrade?
If budget matters most, go with Jimma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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