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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,658 per month in Belgrade vs $1,047 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Belgrade vs $1,527 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,313 per month in Belgrade vs $2,007 in Nis, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 58% more than Nis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Belgrade sits 20% above the global median, while Nis is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 RSD 1,374

$7.98 RSD 805

70.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 RSD 6,055

$34.63 RSD 3,490

73.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.01 RSD 1,311

$10.10 RSD 1,018

28.81%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RSD 321

$2.02 RSD 204

57.43%

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

$2.93 RSD 295

$2.36 RSD 238

24.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RSD 251

$1.87 RSD 188

33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 RSD 361

$3.77 RSD 380

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 RSD 408

$4.52 RSD 456

-10.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RSD 150

$1.15 RSD 115

29.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RSD 120

$0.77 RSD 77.2

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 RSD 290

$1.74 RSD 176

65.52%

Eggs

$2.84 RSD 287

$2.36 RSD 238

20.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 RSD 1,198

$7.79 RSD 786

52.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 RSD 739

$6.12 RSD 617

19.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 RSD 1,645

$11.07 RSD 1,116

47.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 177

$1.08 RSD 109

62.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 RSD 187

$1.74 RSD 175

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 192

$1.53 RSD 154

24.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 RSD 322

$2.18 RSD 219

46.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 93.2

$0.79 RSD 80.1

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RSD 73.3

$0.80 RSD 81.0

-8.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 RSD 82.2

$0.68 RSD 68.9

20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 69.2

$0.58 RSD 58.0

18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 RSD 482

$4.49 RSD 453

6.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 RSD 994

$5.82 RSD 586

69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RSD 91.1

$0.67 RSD 67.7

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RSD 154

$1.28 RSD 129

19.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 RSD 323

$1.93 RSD 195

66.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RSD 103

$0.67 RSD 67.1

52.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 RSD 1,791

$8.66 RSD 873

105.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 RSD 200

$1.92 RSD 193

3.65%

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

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

0.52%

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

$25.2K RSD 2.5M

$25.3K RSD 2.6M

-0.68%

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

$223 RSD 22.5K

$163 RSD 16.4K

37.17%

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

$26.22 RSD 2,642

$20.70 RSD 2,086

26.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.14 RSD 3,643

$23.26 RSD 2,345

55.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 RSD 4,329

$31.13 RSD 3,138

37.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 RSD 2,372

$16.13 RSD 1,626

45.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 RSD 883

$4.93 RSD 496

77.89%

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

$418 RSD 42.1K

$259 RSD 26.1K

61.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

$5,157 RSD 519.8K

123.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 RSD 11.3K

$92.6 RSD 9,332

20.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.51 RSD 4,889

$39.61 RSD 3,992

22.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 RSD 12.1K

$104 RSD 10.5K

15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 RSD 16.3K

$114 RSD 11.4K

42.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 88.3K

$406 RSD 40.9K

115.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 RSD 59.6K

$292 RSD 29.4K

102.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 RSD 161.5K

$612 RSD 61.7K

161.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 RSD 99.4K

$418 RSD 42.1K

135.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,708 RSD 575.3K

$2,587 RSD 260.7K

120.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,286 RSD 331.2K

$1,897 RSD 191.2K

73.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RSD 128.6K

$928 RSD 93.5K

37.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

5.11

-9.20%

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

Last update for Belgrade: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nis: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $406 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 $60.0 in Belgrade versus $35.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $187 – 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: $1,658 in Belgrade, $1,047 in Nis – roughly 58% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,487 per month in Belgrade and $1,571 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 $60.0 in Belgrade and $35.00 in Nis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $1,047, than in Belgrade at $1,658. 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.