Cost of Living in Serbia

Updated: April 01, 2025

If you've ever considered moving to Serbia, one of the first questions that likely crossed your mind is, "What is the cost of living in Serbia?" After all, it's essential to have a clear picture of your potential expenses before making such a life-changing decision. At this page, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of the cost of living in Serbia and whether the reported $1081 per month figure aligns with the average monthly salary of $519.71.

Restaurants

Markets

Transportation

Childcare

Clothing

Rent Per Month

Buy Apartment

Salaries

Serbia

restaurant Restaurants	Price	World Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant	5.7 $
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course	23.88 $
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)	4.89 $
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught)	1.63 $
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)	2.04 $
Cappuccino (regular)	1.38 $
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle)	1.21 $
Water (12 oz small bottle)	0.86 $

store Markets	Price	World Range
Milk (regular), (1 gallon)	0.85 $
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb)	0.47 $
Rice (white), (1 lb)	1.35 $
Eggs (regular) (12)	1.76 $
Local Cheese (1 lb)	5.3 $
Chicken Fillets (1 lb)	5.19 $
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)	7.47 $
Apples (1 lb)	0.8 $
Banana (1 lb)	1.12 $
Oranges (1 lb)	1.14 $
Tomato (1 lb)	1.32 $
Potato (1 lb)	0.66 $
Onion (1 lb)	0.48 $
Lettuce (1 head)	0.45 $
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	0.45 $
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)	4.07 $
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)	0.61 $
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)	0.96 $
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)	3.01 $

commute Transportation	Price	World Range
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)	0.73 $
Monthly Pass (Regular Price)	26.06 $
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)	1.38 $
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff)	0.57 $
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)	4.78 $
Gasoline (1 gallon)	1.44 $
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)	20358.84 $
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)	17907.55 $

mark_as_unread Utilities (Monthly)	Price	World Range
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment	123.7 $
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)	0.09 $
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	18.3 $

kitesurfing Sports And Leisure	Price	World Range
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult	23.71 $
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)	7.81 $
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat	4.07 $

child_friendly Childcare	Price	World Range
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child	180.08 $
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child	4673.8 $

checkroom Clothing And Shoes	Price	World Range
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)	48.25 $
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)	25.64 $
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)	74.9 $
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes	77.48 $

night_shelter Rent Per Month	Price	World Range
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	281.07 $
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	195.5 $
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	485.52 $
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	340.32 $

home Buy Apartment Price	Price	World Range
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre	1818.45 $
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre	1207.54 $

account_balance_wallet Salaries And Financing	Price	World Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)	519.71 $
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate	3.8 %

Dining Out

The cost of dining varies with the type of establishment. A meal at an affordable restaurant averages around 5.7 USD, while a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant generally costs 23.88 USD.

Groceries

Basic grocery prices are accessible for most essentials. For instance, a gallon of milk costs about 0.85 USD, a loaf of bread 0.47 USD, and a dozen eggs approximately 1.76 USD.

Transportation

Public transport is relatively affordable, with a single trip priced at about 0.73 USD and a monthly pass around 26.06 USD. If you plan to use public transit regularly, these passes offer great value.

Utilities

For an 85 m² apartment, monthly utility bills—including electricity, heating, water, and waste services—average around 123.7 USD.

Sports and Recreation

For those interested in fitness and leisure, a monthly gym membership averages around 23.71 USD, while an hour on a tennis court on weekends costs about 7.81 USD.

Childcare and Education

Families looking for private childcare services will find that a month at a local preschool or kindergarten costs around 180.08 USD. For international schooling options, annual tuition can reach approximately 4673.8 USD.

Clothing and Footwear

Clothing and shoe prices vary widely. A pair of Levi's 501 jeans, for example, costs about 48.25 USD, and mid-range Nike sneakers are priced around 74.9 USD.

Apartment Rentals

Rental prices depend on location, with a one-bedroom apartment in the city center averaging 281.07 USD per month, while one outside the center costs around 195.5 USD.

Real Estate for Purchase

If you're considering buying property, prices per square foot vary as well. In central areas, the price per square foot is roughly 1818.45 USD, while in the suburbs, it's closer to 1207.54 USD.

Average Salary and Mortgage Rates

The average monthly net salary here is about 519.71 USD after taxes, and mortgage interest rates for a 20-year fixed-rate loan average around 3.8% annually.

Warnings & Dangers in Serbia

OVERALL RISK: LOW

Serbia is generally very safe. It is ranked 31st of 162 on the list of the safest and most dangerous countries. Its people are very kind and happy to help, and tourists especially shouldn't encounter any bigger problems in Serbia.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Transportation in Serbia is overall safe. Just be on the lookout for pickpockets on public transportation, and double-check if the taximeter is on when you enter a taxi.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

Pickpocketing and bag snatching are the most common form of street crime in Belgrade, so if you do encounter any problems it will probably be pickpocketing that mostly happens in public transportation. Be extremely careful when entering any bus in this country's capital, since its pickpockets are very skillful and you won't even notice anything missing until you get off the bus.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW

In the past couple of years, the only natural disaster that severely affected Serbia was flooding of large proportions, with even fatal results. Apart from that, Belgrade stands in the seismically active area (Level 2a), but earthquakes of any kind rarely happen.

MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM

Mugging exists but is rare. There have been reports of kidnapping either as a consequence of someone failing to pay a debt, or kidnapping by rival criminal organizations. Crimes like these do happen, but have declined in the last decade significantly, and are not likely to happen to a tourist.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

Terrorist attacks are more likely to happen in most popular European capitals such as Paris, London, etc., than in Belgrade. There is a risk of a terrorist attack happening but it is really low.

SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM

Any newcomer is in danger of scams when visiting a new country, and the same applies to Serbia. The most common scams are people ripping you off in bars or clubs, or by the street vendors, as well as drink spiking in strip clubs.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Serbia is very safe for women travelers. Attacks rarely happen, if ever, but still, be on the lookout at all times, especially at night, or in deserted areas, empty, poorly lit streets, etc.

Cost of Living in Serbia

Serbia

Restaurants

Markets

Transportation

Utilities (Monthly)

Sports And Leisure

Childcare

Clothing And Shoes

Rent Per Month

Buy Apartment Price

Salaries And Financing