Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $485 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Belgrade
Learn more

Belgrade Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
Learn more

Mashhad Living Index

Jump to prices

Belgrade

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,538

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Mashhad

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

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Belgrade vs $485 in Mashhad, rent included.

Belgrade $1,538
Mashhad $485

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Belgrade vs $770 in Mashhad, rent included.

Belgrade $2,321
Mashhad $770

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Belgrade vs $1,055 in Mashhad, rent included.

Belgrade $3,105
Mashhad $1,055

Belgrade costs about 217% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Mashhad is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 RSD 1,389

$3.03 $3.03

339.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 RSD 6,085

$18.20 $18.20

220.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.58 RSD 1,414

$4.89 $4.89

177.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Cappuccino

$3.13 RSD 326

$1.09 $1.09

187.16%

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

$2.77 RSD 288

$0.43 $0.43

544.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RSD 237

$0.26 $0.26

773.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 RSD 390

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 RSD 456

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RSD 146

$0.62 $0.62

125.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 RSD 122

$0.19 $0.19

515.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 RSD 282

$2.03 $2.03

33.50%

Eggs

$2.78 RSD 289

$1.10 $1.10

152.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 RSD 1,184

$2.16 $2.16

425.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.01 RSD 731

$2.77 $2.77

153.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 RSD 1,638

$10.45 $10.45

50.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 RSD 173

$0.96 $0.96

72.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 RSD 188

$1.51 $1.51

19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 RSD 190

$0.78 $0.78

134.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 RSD 326

$0.57 $0.57

449.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RSD 91.3

$0.53 $0.53

66.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 RSD 70.3

$0.47 $0.47

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 RSD 84.4

$0.48 $0.48

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RSD 70.9

$0.29 $0.29

134.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 $0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 $0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 RSD 498

$3.03 $3.03

57.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 RSD 889

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RSD 97.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 RSD 150

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.72 $3.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 RSD 322

$0.19 $0.19

1526.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RSD 107

$0.49 $0.49

108.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.18 RSD 1,789

$1.96 $1.96

776.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 RSD 195

$0.82 $0.82

128.05%

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

$30.7K RSD 3.2M

$60.2K $60.2K

-48.94%

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

$24.3K RSD 2.5M

$66.2K $66.2K

-63.32%

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

$218 RSD 22.7K

$13.58 $13.58

1502.87%

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

$25.24 RSD 2,629

$2.67 $2.67

845.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.35 RSD 3,683

$27.42 $27.42

28.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.77 RSD 4,351

$19.38 $19.38

115.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.80 RSD 2,375

$14.98 $14.98

52.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 RSD 882

$2.03 $2.03

317.24%

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

$426 RSD 44.4K

$40.02 $40.02

965.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K RSD 1.2M

$622 $622

1731.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 RSD 11.6K

$19.92 $19.92

457.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.99 RSD 4,791

$38.69 $38.69

18.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 RSD 12.4K

$93.5 $93.5

27.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 RSD 16.0K

$68.6 $68.6

124.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 RSD 85.6K

$213 $213

285.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 RSD 58.4K

$148 $148

278.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 RSD 157.4K

$400 $400

278.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 RSD 98.1K

$272 $272

246.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,312 RSD 553.4K

$1,125 $1,125

372.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,165 RSD 329.7K

$689 $689

359.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,228 RSD 127.9K

$252 $252

386.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

21.5

-78.56%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Belgrade

$561 35.5%

Mashhad

$148 31.1% 73.6% $413

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belgrade

$278 17.6%

Mashhad

$44 9.2% 84.3% $235

Groceries & Markets

Belgrade

$246 15.6%

Mashhad

$100 21% 59.3% $146

Eating Out

Belgrade

$233 14.7%

Mashhad

$55 11.5% 76.5% $178

Clothing & Footwear

Belgrade

$194 12.3%

Mashhad

$99 20.9% 48.7% $94

Sport & Entertainment

Belgrade

$59 3.7%

Mashhad

$23 4.9% 60.1% $35

Getting Around

Belgrade

$8.2 * 0.5%

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4% 21.6% $1.8

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 $213 in Mashhad. 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 386% 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 $18.00 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $100 – making Mashhad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇸 Belgrade

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

08:24 8:24 AM

09:54 9:54 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Belgrade

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,714 Capital

3,001,184

💱 Currency

Serbian Dinar RSD din

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇸 Serbian Dinar (din)

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to RSD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Belgrade Mashhad 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Belgrade
Mashhad

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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,538 in Belgrade, $485 in Mashhad – roughly 217% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Belgrade and $727 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mashhad, 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 $18.00 in Mashhad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 146% 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 Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $485, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mashhad – 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 Mashhad. 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.