Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,517 per month in Belgrade vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Belgrade vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Belgrade vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 5% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Belgrade and Budapest sit above the global median – Belgrade by 13%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 RSD 1,228

$11.49 Ft 3,498

6.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.60 RSD 4,999

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

-12.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 RSD 1,177

$8.66 Ft 2,636

34.87%

Cappuccino

$2.86 RSD 288

$2.77 Ft 842

3.25%

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

$2.70 RSD 272

$1.80 Ft 548

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 219

$1.33 Ft 406

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 RSD 358

$2.81 Ft 857

26.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RSD 405

$2.79 Ft 851

44.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RSD 153

$1.21 Ft 367

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RSD 92.7

$1.74 Ft 528

-47.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 308

$2.08 Ft 635

46.63%

Eggs

$2.85 RSD 288

$3.10 Ft 945

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 RSD 1,155

$9.95 Ft 3,029

15.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 RSD 752

$6.33 Ft 1,926

17.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 RSD 1,306

$13.33 Ft 4,060

-2.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 RSD 142

$1.85 Ft 564

-23.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 RSD 191

$1.91 Ft 581

-1.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 198

$2.17 Ft 661

-9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RSD 280

$3.67 Ft 1,117

-24.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 104

$1.13 Ft 344

-8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 RSD 76.1

$1.22 Ft 370

-38.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 89.3

$1.55 Ft 471

-42.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 79.1

$0.53 Ft 162

47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 RSD 470

$6.79 Ft 2,068

-31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 RSD 972

$5.87 Ft 1,787

64.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.5

$1.22 Ft 370

-28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RSD 153

$1.73 Ft 526

-12.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 RSD 98.5

$1.28 Ft 391

-23.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 RSD 312

$3.26 Ft 993

-5.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RSD 90.3

$1.13 Ft 344

-20.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 RSD 1,801

$19.23 Ft 5,855

-7.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 RSD 185

$1.75 Ft 532

4.57%

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

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

19.52%

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

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

-12.02%

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

$210 RSD 21.1K

$145 Ft 44.2K

44.40%

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

$22.09 RSD 2,226

$26.21 Ft 7,981

-15.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.98 RSD 3,324

$20.23 Ft 6,160

63.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 RSD 3,887

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

-37.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.97 RSD 2,114

$22.11 Ft 6,733

-5.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 RSD 776

$9.15 Ft 2,787

-15.85%

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

$449 RSD 45.3K

$454 Ft 138.1K

-1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

-24.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 RSD 10.1K

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 RSD 4,274

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.4K

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

17.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 RSD 11.9K

$107 Ft 32.5K

10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 RSD 85.9K

$719 Ft 218.8K

18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RSD 57.5K

$553 Ft 168.3K

3.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

$984 Ft 299.5K

4.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

-13.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-29.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

-32.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

7.03

-20.48%

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

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Belgrade versus $719 in Budapest. 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 49% higher in Budapest, 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 $50.0 in Belgrade versus $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Belgrade vs $239 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,517 in Belgrade, $1,450 in Budapest – roughly 5% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,275 per month in Belgrade and $2,175 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, 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 $50.0 in Belgrade and $57.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Belgrade at $1,517. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Budapest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,450 in Budapest to $1,517 in Belgrade. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Budapest. 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.