Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Nis Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Nis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,508 per month in Belgrade vs $1,048 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,303 per month in Belgrade vs $1,519 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Belgrade vs $1,991 in Nis, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 44% more than Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Belgrade sits 13% above the global median, while Nis is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.41 RSD 1,269

$7.55 RSD 772

64.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 RSD 5,024

$30.06 RSD 3,073

63.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 RSD 1,223

$9.85 RSD 1,007

21.42%

Cappuccino

$2.83 RSD 289

$1.90 RSD 195

48.95%

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

$2.71 RSD 277

$1.80 RSD 184

50.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 222

$1.28 RSD 131

69.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RSD 344

$2.41 RSD 247

39.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RSD 401

$3.01 RSD 308

30.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RSD 150

$1.33 RSD 136

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 RSD 96.5

$0.69 RSD 70.3

36.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 312

$1.79 RSD 183

70.39%

Eggs

$2.87 RSD 294

$2.40 RSD 245

19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 RSD 1,160

$8.19 RSD 837

38.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 RSD 765

$6.97 RSD 713

7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 RSD 1,326

$11.87 RSD 1,214

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 RSD 145

$1.17 RSD 120

21.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 194

$1.79 RSD 183

6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 200

$1.51 RSD 154

29.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RSD 276

$1.85 RSD 189

45.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 105

$1.08 RSD 110

-4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 81.7

$1.13 RSD 116

-29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 90.5

$0.59 RSD 60.3

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 80.1

$0.58 RSD 59.3

34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 RSD 463

$4.21 RSD 430

7.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 RSD 868

$5.79 RSD 592

46.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RSD 89.8

$0.68 RSD 70.0

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RSD 164

$2.13 RSD 217

-24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RSD 99.1

$0.81 RSD 82.7

19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.01 RSD 2,659

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 RSD 330

$1.49 RSD 153

116.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RSD 97.9

$0.45 RSD 46.07

113.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 RSD 1,803

$6.84 RSD 699

157.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 185

$1.75 RSD 179

3.43%

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

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

2.43%

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

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

-2.02%

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

$205 RSD 21.0K

$139 RSD 14.2K

47.29%

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

$22.48 RSD 2,299

$16.85 RSD 1,723

33.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 RSD 3,316

$22.12 RSD 2,262

46.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.00 RSD 3,987

$28.83 RSD 2,948

35.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 RSD 2,166

$19.09 RSD 1,952

11.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RSD 822

$4.91 RSD 502

63.75%

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

$455 RSD 46.5K

$239 RSD 24.4K

90.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,282 RSD 949.0K

$5,102 RSD 521.6K

81.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RSD 10.3K

$89.0 RSD 9,104

12.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 RSD 4,349

$46.12 RSD 4,716

-7.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 RSD 11.5K

$95.6 RSD 9,772

17.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 RSD 12.3K

$102 RSD 10.4K

18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 89.6K

$402 RSD 41.1K

117.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 RSD 58.9K

$291 RSD 29.8K

97.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

$564 RSD 57.6K

179.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 RSD 102.1K

$402 RSD 41.1K

148.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,543 RSD 566.7K

$2,570 RSD 262.8K

115.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 RSD 327.8K

$1,889 RSD 193.1K

69.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

$880 RSD 89.9K

38.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

7.45

-24.97%

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

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nis: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $402 in Nis. 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 38% 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 $49.00 in Belgrade versus $30.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $198 – making Nis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,508 in Belgrade, $1,048 in Nis – roughly 44% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,262 per month in Belgrade and $1,572 in Nis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nis, 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 $49.00 in Belgrade and $30.00 in Nis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,048, than in Belgrade at $1,508. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nis – 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 Nis. 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.