Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Riffa

For one person, living is cheaper in Riffa: $1,208 a month against $1,554 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,554
/mo nomad
Riffa
🇧🇭 Bahrain
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Riffa

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

A single person spends $1,554 per month in Belgrade vs $1,208 in Riffa, rent included.

  • Belgrade $1,554
  • Riffa $1,208

A couple spends around $2,337 per month in Belgrade vs $1,870 in Riffa, rent included.

  • Belgrade $2,337
  • Riffa $1,870

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Belgrade vs $2,533 in Riffa, rent included.

  • Belgrade $3,121
  • Riffa $2,533

Belgrade costs about 29% more than Riffa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Riffa is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.15 RSD 1,371
$5.19 BHD 1.96
153.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.5 RSD 5,999
$39.26 BHD 14.82
46.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.38 RSD 1,394
$6.08 BHD 2.29
120.07%
Cappuccino
$3.10 RSD 323
$4.03 BHD 1.52
-23.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 RSD 294
$0.69 BHD 0.26
308.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 RSD 231
$0.25 BHD 0.09
788.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.47 RSD 362
$6.64 BHD 2.50
-47.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 RSD 412
$7.81 BHD 2.95
-49.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 RSD 144
$1.42 BHD 0.54
-2.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 RSD 118
$0.69 BHD 0.26
63.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 RSD 277
$1.86 BHD 0.70
43.01%
Eggs
$2.78 RSD 290
$2.23 BHD 0.84
24.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.99 RSD 1,146
$7.86 BHD 2.97
39.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.56 RSD 684
$6.23 BHD 2.35
5.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.07 RSD 1,571
$8.42 BHD 3.18
78.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 RSD 173
$2.39 BHD 0.90
-30.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 RSD 186
$1.71 BHD 0.65
4.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 RSD 195
$1.82 BHD 0.69
2.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.03 RSD 315
$1.08 BHD 0.41
180.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.92 RSD 96.3
$1.05 BHD 0.40
-12.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 RSD 73.8
$0.68 BHD 0.26
4.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 RSD 77.6
$0.55 BHD 0.21
34.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 RSD 77.2
$0.55 BHD 0.21
34.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.61 RSD 481
$5.15 BHD 1.94
-10.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.81 RSD 918
$13.03 BHD 4.92
-32.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 RSD 92.7
$1.80 BHD 0.68
-50.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 RSD 151
$2.62 BHD 0.99
-44.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.81 BHD 0.30
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$35.31 BHD 13.33
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 RSD 315
$5.34 BHD 2.01
-43.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 RSD 103
$3.50 BHD 1.32
-72.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.08 RSD 1,780
$10.48 BHD 3.96
62.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 RSD 199
$0.49 BHD 0.19
289.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K RSD 3.2M
$22.8K BHD 8,612
35.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K RSD 2.6M
$20.9K BHD 7,897
17.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$220 RSD 23.0K
$131 BHD 49.58
67.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.41 RSD 2,544
$24.06 BHD 9.08
1.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.64 RSD 3,715
$35.71 BHD 13.48
-0.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.20 RSD 4,295
$72.9 BHD 27.52
-43.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.60 RSD 2,356
$13.12 BHD 4.95
72.26%
Cinema Ticket
$8.59 RSD 896
$10.46 BHD 3.95
-17.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$424 RSD 44.2K
$483 BHD 182
-12.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K RSD 1.1M
$5,695 BHD 2,149
92.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 RSD 11.5K
$29.39 BHD 11.09
276.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.28 RSD 4,929
$21.24 BHD 8.02
122.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 RSD 11.8K
$65.7 BHD 24.80
72.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 RSD 16.3K
$39.04 BHD 14.73
301.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 RSD 83.9K
$914 BHD 345
-11.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$546 RSD 56.9K
$425 BHD 160
28.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,452 RSD 151.4K
$1,519 BHD 573
-4.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$931 RSD 97.0K
$865 BHD 327
7.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,368 RSD 559.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,155 RSD 328.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgrade
Riffa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,237 RSD 128.9K
$1,370 BHD 517
-9.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.61
5.5
-16.18%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 12, 2026

Last update for Riffa: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
$546
Riffa
$425 22.2% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
$280
Riffa
$191 31.9% $89
Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
$241
Riffa
$206 14.4% $35
Eating Out
Belgrade
$228
Riffa
$161 29.5% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
$192
Riffa
$70 63.7% $122
Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
$58
Riffa
$94 60.7% $35
Getting Around
Belgrade
$7.9 *
Riffa
$61 673% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Belgrade versus $914 in Riffa. 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 11% higher in Riffa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade versus $39.00 in Riffa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $206 – making Riffa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🇧🇭 Riffa
🕒 Local time
17:53 5:53 PM
18:53 6:53 PM
1 h ahead of Belgrade
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,197,714 Capital
121,566
💱 Currency
Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب
Exchange rates and currency converter

BHD, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.424 BHD (1 BHD = 2.36 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belgrade Riffa 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Belgrade
  • Riffa

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 Riffa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Belgrade and in Riffa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,554 in Belgrade, $1,208 in Riffa – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Belgrade compared to Riffa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,331 per month in Belgrade and $1,811 in Riffa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Belgrade and Riffa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Riffa, 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 $39.00 in Riffa. 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 17% 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 $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Riffa, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Belgrade at $1,554. In Riffa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Belgrade or Riffa?
Families tend to lean toward Riffa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Belgrade or Riffa 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 Riffa?
If budget matters most, go with Riffa. 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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