Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,517 per month in Belgrade vs $1,126 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Belgrade vs $1,821 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Belgrade vs $2,516 in Saitama, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 35% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Belgrade sits 13% above the global median, while Saitama is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 RSD 1,226

$6.06 ¥970

101.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.60 RSD 4,989

$33.98 ¥5,436

45.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 RSD 1,174

$4.78 ¥764

144.35%

Cappuccino

$2.86 RSD 288

$3.04 ¥487

-5.92%

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

$2.70 RSD 272

$0.75 ¥120

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 218

$0.69 ¥111

214.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 RSD 357

$2.02 ¥324

75.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RSD 405

$3.13 ¥501

28.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RSD 153

$1.58 ¥252

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RSD 92.5

$1.67 ¥268

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 307

$3.03 ¥485

0.66%

Eggs

$2.85 RSD 287

$2.24 ¥358

27.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 RSD 1,153

$10.28 ¥1,644

11.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 RSD 750

$6.14 ¥983

21.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 RSD 1,304

$15.59 ¥2,494

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 RSD 142

$5.89 ¥942

-76.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 RSD 190

$1.34 ¥215

41.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 197

$3.91 ¥626

-49.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RSD 279

$5.90 ¥944

-52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 103

$3.23 ¥516

-68.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 RSD 75.9

$1.71 ¥273

-56.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 89.1

$1.35 ¥216

-34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 78.9

$0.88 ¥142

-11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 RSD 469

$4.13 ¥660

12.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 RSD 970

$8.49 ¥1,358

13.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.3

$1.84 ¥295

-52.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RSD 152

$2.14 ¥342

-29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 RSD 98.2

$1.62 ¥259

-39.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 ¥9,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 RSD 311

$3.44 ¥550

-10.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RSD 90.1

$2.96 ¥473

-69.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 RSD 1,797

$22.04 ¥3,526

-18.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 RSD 184

$1.24 ¥198

47.58%

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

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

34.03%

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

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

$18.8K ¥3.0M

43.59%

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

$210 RSD 21.1K

$144 ¥23.0K

45.63%

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

$22.09 RSD 2,221

$19.50 ¥3,120

13.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.98 RSD 3,316

$33.90 ¥5,424

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 RSD 3,879

$67.8 ¥10.8K

-43.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.97 RSD 2,109

$14.10 ¥2,256

48.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 RSD 774

$12.14 ¥1,943

-36.57%

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

$449 RSD 45.2K

$276 ¥44.2K

62.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,106 RSD 915.7K

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-33.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 RSD 10.1K

$38.62 ¥6,178

159.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 RSD 4,265

$27.40 ¥4,383

54.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.3K

$60.2 ¥9,630

87.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 RSD 11.9K

$69.5 ¥11.1K

69.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 RSD 85.7K

$429 ¥68.6K

98.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RSD 57.4K

$255 ¥40.9K

123.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 RSD 157.8K

$858 ¥137.2K

82.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 RSD 103.0K

$660 ¥105.6K

55.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,218 RSD 524.8K

$4,524 ¥723.8K

15.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 317.3K

$2,701 ¥432.2K

16.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,234 RSD 124.1K

$1,535 ¥245.6K

-19.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

1.86

200.54%

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

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saitama: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Belgrade versus $429 in Saitama. 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 24% higher in Saitama, 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 $50.0 in Belgrade versus $34.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Belgrade vs $304 in Saitama – so Belgrade wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,517 in Belgrade, $1,126 in Saitama – roughly 35% 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 $1,689 in Saitama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saitama, 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 $34.00 in Saitama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Belgrade – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $1,126, than in Belgrade at $1,517. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – 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 Saitama. 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.