Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Balikesir

For one person, living is cheaper in Balikesir: $931 a month against $1,554 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Belgrade
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Belgrade Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Balikesir
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Balikesir Living Index

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Belgrade

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,554

/mo nomad

Balikesir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$931

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Balikesir

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 Balikesir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,554 per month in Belgrade vs $931 in Balikesir, rent included.

Belgrade $1,554
Balikesir $931

A couple spends around $2,337 per month in Belgrade vs $1,462 in Balikesir, rent included.

Belgrade $2,337
Balikesir $1,462

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Belgrade vs $1,993 in Balikesir, rent included.

Belgrade $3,121
Balikesir $1,993

Belgrade costs about 67% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Balikesir is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.15 RSD 1,371

$7.19 ₺356

82.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RSD 5,999

$28.26 ₺1,399

103.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.38 RSD 1,394

$7.59 ₺376

76.28%

Cappuccino

$3.10 RSD 323

$3.45 ₺171

-10.14%

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

$2.82 RSD 294

$1.36 ₺67.2

107.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RSD 231

$0.35 ₺17.49

534.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RSD 362

$3.20 ₺158

8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 RSD 412

$4.24 ₺210

-6.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RSD 144

$0.90 ₺44.56

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 RSD 118

$0.95 ₺46.92

18.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 RSD 277

$2.15 ₺106

23.72%

Eggs

$2.78 RSD 290

$2.00 ₺98.9

39.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 RSD 1,146

$8.05 ₺398

36.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 RSD 684

$3.94 ₺195

66.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 RSD 1,571

$18.19 ₺901

-17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 RSD 173

$1.84 ₺91.3

-9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 186

$1.89 ₺93.4

-5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 RSD 195

$1.12 ₺55.6

66.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 RSD 315

$1.03 ₺51.1

194.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 96.3

$0.50 ₺24.60

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RSD 73.8

$0.38 ₺18.87

86.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 RSD 77.6

$0.85 ₺41.90

-12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RSD 77.2

$0.70 ₺34.84

5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 RSD 481

$2.01 ₺99.4

129.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 RSD 918

$10.01 ₺496

-11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RSD 92.7

$2.05 ₺102

-56.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 RSD 151

$3.31 ₺164

-56.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺31.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.21 ₺1,991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 RSD 315

$1.10 ₺54.2

174.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RSD 103

$1.09 ₺54.0

-10.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.08 RSD 1,780

$4.19 ₺207

307.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RSD 199

$1.33 ₺65.7

43.61%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.2M

$42.6K ₺2.1M

-27.16%

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

$24.7K RSD 2.6M

$40.2K ₺2.0M

-38.68%

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

$220 RSD 23.0K

$62.5 ₺3,096

252.50%

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

$24.41 RSD 2,544

$12.06 ₺597

102.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.64 RSD 3,715

$14.87 ₺736

139.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 RSD 4,295

$42.71 ₺2,115

-3.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 RSD 2,356

$29.82 ₺1,477

-24.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 RSD 896

$4.01 ₺198

114.21%

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

$424 RSD 44.2K

$474 ₺23.5K

-10.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K RSD 1.1M

$12.2K ₺603.6K

-9.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 RSD 11.5K

$24.30 ₺1,203

355.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.28 RSD 4,929

$16.36 ₺810

189.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.8K

$82.3 ₺4,075

37.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 RSD 16.3K

$50.4 ₺2,496

210.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 RSD 83.9K

$378 ₺18.7K

113.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 RSD 56.9K

$296 ₺14.7K

84.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 RSD 151.4K

$801 ₺39.6K

81.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 RSD 97.0K

$550 ₺27.2K

69.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,368 RSD 559.6K

$1,149 ₺56.9K

367.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 328.9K

$801 ₺39.7K

293.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,237 RSD 128.9K

$1,289 ₺63.8K

-4.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

39.8

-88.42%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 12, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Belgrade

$546 35.2%

Balikesir

$296 31.8% 45.8% $250

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belgrade

$280 18.1%

Balikesir

$89 9.6% 68.1% $191

Groceries & Markets

Belgrade

$241 15.5%

Balikesir

$215 23.1% 10.7% $26

Eating Out

Belgrade

$228 14.7%

Balikesir

$153 16.4% 32.8% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Belgrade

$192 12.4%

Balikesir

$78 8.4% 59.4% $114

Sport & Entertainment

Belgrade

$58 3.8%

Balikesir

$51 5.5% 13.1% $7.7

Getting Around

Belgrade

$7.9 * 0.5%

Balikesir

$49 5.3% 521% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Belgrade versus $378 in Balikesir. 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 4% higher in Balikesir, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade versus $28.00 in Balikesir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $215 – making Balikesir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇸 Belgrade

🇹🇷 Balikesir

🕒 Local time

23:27 11:27 PM

00:27 12:27 AM

1 h ahead of Belgrade

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,714 Capital

1,196,170

💱 Currency

Serbian Dinar RSD din

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇸 Serbian Dinar (din)

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).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to RSD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Belgrade Balikesir 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Belgrade
Balikesir

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 Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belgrade costs about 67% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,331 per month in Belgrade and $1,397 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balikesir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade and $28.00 in Balikesir. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Belgrade at $1,554. In Balikesir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Balikesir – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Balikesir. 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.