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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,517 per month in Belgrade vs $1,023 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Belgrade vs $1,501 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Belgrade vs $1,979 in Nis, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 48% more than Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Belgrade sits 13% above the global median, while Nis is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 RSD 1,228

$7.23 RSD 729

68.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.60 RSD 4,999

$29.67 RSD 2,991

67.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 RSD 1,177

$9.99 RSD 1,007

16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.86 RSD 288

$1.99 RSD 201

43.72%

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

$2.70 RSD 272

$1.82 RSD 184

48.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 219

$1.22 RSD 123

77.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 RSD 358

$2.54 RSD 256

39.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RSD 405

$2.91 RSD 293

38.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RSD 153

$1.33 RSD 134

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RSD 92.7

$0.74 RSD 75.0

24.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 308

$1.81 RSD 182

68.51%

Eggs

$2.85 RSD 288

$2.44 RSD 246

16.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 RSD 1,155

$7.78 RSD 784

47.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 RSD 752

$6.65 RSD 670

12.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 RSD 1,306

$11.70 RSD 1,179

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 RSD 142

$1.19 RSD 119

18.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 RSD 191

$1.72 RSD 174

9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 198

$1.46 RSD 147

34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RSD 280

$1.78 RSD 180

56.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 104

$1.02 RSD 103

0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 RSD 76.1

$1.13 RSD 114

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 89.3

$0.55 RSD 55.1

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 79.1

$0.57 RSD 57.1

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 RSD 470

$4.23 RSD 427

10.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 RSD 972

$6.31 RSD 636

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.5

$0.73 RSD 73.7

19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RSD 153

$2.04 RSD 206

-25.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 RSD 98.5

$0.80 RSD 80.7

22.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.95 RSD 2,616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 RSD 312

$1.45 RSD 146

113.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RSD 90.3

$0.45 RSD 45.78

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 RSD 1,801

$6.82 RSD 687

162.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 RSD 185

$1.75 RSD 176

4.57%

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

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

2.40%

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

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

-1.32%

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

$210 RSD 21.1K

$141 RSD 14.2K

48.72%

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

$22.09 RSD 2,226

$16.68 RSD 1,681

32.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.98 RSD 3,324

$22.71 RSD 2,289

45.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 RSD 3,887

$29.35 RSD 2,958

31.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.97 RSD 2,114

$18.77 RSD 1,892

11.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 RSD 776

$4.80 RSD 484

60.42%

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

$449 RSD 45.3K

$239 RSD 24.1K

87.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

$5,050 RSD 509.0K

80.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 RSD 10.1K

$90.2 RSD 9,090

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 RSD 4,274

$46.77 RSD 4,714

-9.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.4K

$93.6 RSD 9,435

20.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 RSD 11.9K

$104 RSD 10.5K

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 RSD 85.9K

$401 RSD 40.4K

112.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RSD 57.5K

$286 RSD 28.8K

99.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

$567 RSD 57.2K

176.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

$412 RSD 41.6K

148.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

$2,613 RSD 263.3K

99.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

$1,894 RSD 190.9K

66.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

$907 RSD 91.4K

36.11%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nis: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Belgrade versus $401 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 36% 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 $50.0 in Belgrade versus $30.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $195 – 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: $1,517 in Belgrade, $1,023 in Nis – roughly 48% 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 $1,535 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 $50.0 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 25% 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 $1,023, than in Belgrade at $1,517. 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.