Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Iasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Iasi: $1,251 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,538
/mo nomad
Iasi
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,251
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Iasi

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

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Belgrade vs $1,251 in Iasi, rent included.

  • Belgrade $1,538
  • Iasi $1,251

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Belgrade vs $1,834 in Iasi, rent included.

  • Belgrade $2,321
  • Iasi $1,834

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Belgrade vs $2,417 in Iasi, rent included.

  • Belgrade $3,105
  • Iasi $2,417

Belgrade costs about 23% more than Iasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Iasi is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.33 RSD 1,392
$10.54 RON 50.2
26.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.4 RSD 6,099
$41.58 RON 198
40.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 RSD 1,417
$6.96 RON 33.17
95.11%
Cappuccino
$3.13 RSD 327
$2.95 RON 14.07
6.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 RSD 289
$2.29 RON 10.89
20.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 RSD 237
$1.78 RON 8.46
27.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 RSD 391
$3.06 RON 14.58
22.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 RSD 457
$3.69 RON 17.59
18.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 RSD 146
$1.50 RON 7.14
-6.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 RSD 122
$1.33 RON 6.34
-12.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 RSD 283
$1.98 RON 9.44
36.87%
Eggs
$2.78 RSD 290
$3.35 RON 15.95
-17.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.36 RSD 1,186
$8.21 RON 39.11
38.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.01 RSD 732
$6.61 RON 31.52
6.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.72 RSD 1,641
$9.76 RON 46.50
61.07%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 RSD 173
$1.37 RON 6.53
21.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 RSD 189
$1.62 RON 7.74
11.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 RSD 191
$1.66 RON 7.92
10.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 RSD 327
$2.16 RON 10.28
44.91%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 RSD 91.5
$0.84 RON 4.02
4.76%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 RSD 70.5
$0.83 RON 3.95
-19.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 RSD 84.6
$1.11 RON 5.30
-27.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 RSD 71.1
$0.94 RON 4.46
-27.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.78 RSD 500
$6.26 RON 29.82
-23.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.54 RSD 891
$6.87 RON 32.76
24.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 RSD 97.9
$1.31 RON 6.22
-28.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 RSD 151
$2.06 RON 9.84
-30.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.86 RON 4.08
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.82 RON 133
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 RSD 323
$0.86 RON 4.12
259.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 RSD 107
$0.85 RON 4.05
20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.18 RSD 1,793
$8.30 RON 39.57
106.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 RSD 196
$1.90 RON 9.08
-1.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
$28.5K RON 135.7K
7.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K RSD 2.5M
$27.3K RON 130.2K
-11.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 RSD 22.7K
$183 RON 870
19.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.24 RSD 2,635
$7.40 RON 35.28
241.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.35 RSD 3,691
$8.66 RON 41.28
308.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.77 RSD 4,361
$44.73 RON 213
-6.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.80 RSD 2,380
$15.73 RON 75.0
44.95%
Cinema Ticket
$8.47 RSD 884
$8.15 RON 38.86
3.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$426 RSD 44.5K
$412 RON 1,962
3.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
$6,959 RON 33.2K
63.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 RSD 11.6K
$73.9 RON 352
50.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.99 RSD 4,802
$39.35 RON 188
16.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 RSD 12.4K
$95.1 RON 453
25.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 RSD 16.1K
$92.0 RON 438
67.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 RSD 85.8K
$539 RON 2,567
52.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$561 RSD 58.5K
$427 RON 2,036
31.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 RSD 157.8K
$874 RON 4,163
73.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$942 RSD 98.3K
$668 RON 3,185
40.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,312 RSD 554.6K
$2,932 RON 14.0K
81.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,165 RSD 330.4K
$1,910 RON 9,103
65.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgrade
Iasi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,228 RSD 128.2K
$1,117 RON 5,324
9.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.61
7.18
-35.79%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Last update for Iasi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
$561
Iasi
$427 23.8% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
$278
Iasi
$199 28.6% $80
Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
$246
Iasi
$215 12.7% $31
Eating Out
Belgrade
$233
Iasi
$180 22.8% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
$194
Iasi
$135 30.2% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
$59
Iasi
$61 4% $2.3
Getting Around
Belgrade
$8.2 *
Iasi
$36 343% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Belgrade versus $539 in Iasi. 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 10% higher in Belgrade, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade versus $42.00 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $215 – making Iasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🇷🇴 Iasi
🕒 Local time
10:12 10:12 AM
11:12 11:12 AM
1 h ahead of Belgrade
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,197,714 Capital
290,422
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.58 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.54 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.77 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belgrade Iasi 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Belgrade
  • Iasi

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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Belgrade and in Iasi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,538 in Belgrade, $1,251 in Iasi – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Belgrade compared to Iasi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Belgrade and $1,876 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Belgrade and Iasi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade and $42.00 in Iasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 15% 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 $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,251, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Iasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Belgrade and Iasi?
It depends on your priorities. Iasi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,251 in Iasi to $1,538 in Belgrade. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Belgrade or Iasi 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 Belgrade and Iasi?
If budget matters most, go with Iasi. 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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