Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Al-mawsil

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-mawsil: $601 a month against $1,554 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,554
/mo nomad
Al-mawsil
🇮🇶 Iraq
$601
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Al-mawsil

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,554 in Belgrade versus $601 in Al-mawsil.

  • Belgrade $1,554
  • Al-mawsil $601

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,337 in Belgrade versus $917 in Al-mawsil.

  • Belgrade $2,337
  • Al-mawsil $917

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,121 in Belgrade versus $1,233 in Al-mawsil.

  • Belgrade $3,121
  • Al-mawsil $1,233

Living in Belgrade is roughly 158% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belgrade is 15% above, Al-mawsil is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.15 RSD 1,371
$6.46 IQD 9,767
103.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.5 RSD 5,999
$10.37 IQD 15.7K
454.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.38 RSD 1,394
$5.03 IQD 7,597
166.00%
Cappuccino
$3.10 RSD 323
$0.68 IQD 1,024
355.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 RSD 294
$0.34 IQD 519
729.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 RSD 231
$0.14 IQD 219
1485.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.47 RSD 362
$0.85 IQD 1,286
308.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 RSD 412
$1.31 IQD 1,977
202.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 RSD 144
$0.63 IQD 950
119.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 RSD 118
$0.64 IQD 964
76.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 RSD 277
$0.54 IQD 816
392.59%
Eggs
$2.78 RSD 290
$0.94 IQD 1,424
195.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.99 RSD 1,146
$7.10 IQD 10.7K
54.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.56 RSD 684
$3.00 IQD 4,536
118.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.07 RSD 1,571
$7.80 IQD 11.8K
93.21%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 RSD 173
$0.64 IQD 970
159.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 RSD 186
$0.67 IQD 1,013
167.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 RSD 195
$0.51 IQD 769
266.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.03 RSD 315
$0.22 IQD 332
1277.27%
Potato (1kg)
$0.92 RSD 96.3
$0.27 IQD 408
240.74%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 RSD 73.8
$0.32 IQD 483
121.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 RSD 77.6
$0.61 IQD 928
21.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 RSD 77.2
$0.51 IQD 773
45.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.61 RSD 481
$1.62 IQD 2,448
184.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.81 RSD 918
$10.82 IQD 16.3K
-18.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 RSD 92.7
$1.41 IQD 2,124
-36.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 RSD 151
$1.88 IQD 2,838
-22.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.40 IQD 600
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.83 IQD 30.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 RSD 315
$1.61 IQD 2,438
87.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 RSD 103
$1.61 IQD 2,430
-39.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.08 RSD 1,780
$3.86 IQD 5,830
342.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 RSD 199
$0.29 IQD 432
558.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K RSD 3.2M
$13.2K IQD 19.9M
134.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K RSD 2.6M
$15.0K IQD 22.7M
64.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$220 RSD 23.0K
$92.5 IQD 139.8K
138.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.41 RSD 2,544
$12.26 IQD 18.5K
99.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.64 RSD 3,715
$23.36 IQD 35.3K
52.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.20 RSD 4,295
$36.85 IQD 55.7K
11.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.60 RSD 2,356
$6.72 IQD 10.2K
236.31%
Cinema Ticket
$8.59 RSD 896
$6.74 IQD 10.2K
27.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$424 RSD 44.2K
$307 IQD 463.9K
38.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K RSD 1.1M
$588 IQD 888.5K
1766.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 RSD 11.5K
$16.19 IQD 24.5K
583.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.28 RSD 4,929
$13.44 IQD 20.3K
251.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 RSD 11.8K
$59.1 IQD 89.3K
91.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 RSD 16.3K
$15.72 IQD 23.8K
896.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 RSD 83.9K
$176 IQD 265.7K
357.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$546 RSD 56.9K
$130 IQD 196.5K
319.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,452 RSD 151.4K
$381 IQD 575.7K
281.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$931 RSD 97.0K
$305 IQD 461.0K
205.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,368 RSD 559.6K
$745 IQD 1.1M
620.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,155 RSD 328.9K
$587 IQD 887.1K
437.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgrade
Al-mawsil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,237 RSD 128.9K
$537 IQD 811.7K
130.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.61
2.53
82.21%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
$546
Al-mawsil
$130 76.2% $416
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
$280
Al-mawsil
$128 54.3% $152
Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
$241
Al-mawsil
$131 45.5% $109
Eating Out
Belgrade
$228
Al-mawsil
$84 63.2% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
$192
Al-mawsil
$47 75.6% $145
Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
$58
Al-mawsil
$50 13.8% $8.1
Getting Around
Belgrade
$7.9 *
Al-mawsil
$31 291% $23

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $805 in Belgrade and $176 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belgrade pays 130% 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: $58.0 in Belgrade vs $10.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $131 per month, with Al-mawsil cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🇮🇶 Al-mawsil
🕒 Local time
18:30 6:30 PM
19:30 7:30 PM
1 h ahead of Belgrade
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,197,714 Capital
1,683,000
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belgrade Al-mawsil 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Belgrade
  • Al-mawsil

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
Belgrade vs Al-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-mawsil cheaper than Belgrade?
Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Belgrade or Al-mawsil?
Average pay runs 130% higher in Belgrade, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Belgrade and Al-mawsil?
Rent for a central apartment: $805 in Belgrade versus $176 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Belgrade and in Al-mawsil?
Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Belgrade. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Belgrade and in Al-mawsil?
All in, you'll spend $1,554 per month in Belgrade versus $601 in Al-mawsil – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Belgrade or in Al-mawsil?
At $601 in Al-mawsil versus $1,554 in Belgrade, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Belgrade. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Belgrade or in Al-mawsil?
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.
Which city is safer, Belgrade or Al-mawsil?
Safety-wise, Belgrade and Al-mawsil are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Belgrade. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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