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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Belgrade vs $983 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,474 per month in Belgrade vs $1,315 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Belgrade vs $1,646 in Saitama, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 67% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Belgrade sits 19% above the global median, while Saitama is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 RSD 1,382

$5.61 ¥872

144.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 RSD 6,063

$30.87 ¥4,804

94.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.52 RSD 1,364

$4.75 ¥739

184.63%

Cappuccino

$3.32 RSD 335

$2.98 ¥464

11.41%

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

$2.82 RSD 285

$0.71 ¥111

297.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 RSD 248

$0.59 ¥92.2

316.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 RSD 364

$2.48 ¥386

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 RSD 407

$3.08 ¥480

31.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RSD 151

$1.41 ¥220

6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 RSD 116

$1.72 ¥268

-33.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 RSD 292

$2.77 ¥432

4.69%

Eggs

$2.80 RSD 282

$1.97 ¥307

42.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 RSD 1,177

$11.85 ¥1,844

-1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.29 RSD 735

$5.34 ¥831

36.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 RSD 1,661

$14.55 ¥2,265

13.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 177

$5.55 ¥864

-68.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 RSD 190

$2.20 ¥343

-14.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 RSD 205

$2.77 ¥431

-26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 RSD 328

$4.06 ¥633

-19.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 RSD 98.5

$2.51 ¥391

-60.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 RSD 70.6

$1.54 ¥239

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 RSD 84.1

$1.26 ¥196

-34.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RSD 74.3

$0.72 ¥112

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 RSD 471

$3.69 ¥574

26.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 RSD 1,026

$6.35 ¥989

60.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RSD 91.1

$1.72 ¥268

-47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RSD 158

$1.99 ¥310

-21.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.35 ¥521

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 RSD 311

$3.11 ¥485

-0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 RSD 107

$2.46 ¥382

-56.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.08 RSD 1,825

$20.32 ¥3,163

-11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RSD 197

$1.05 ¥164

86.67%

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

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

48.26%

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

$24.9K RSD 2.5M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

72.23%

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

$219 RSD 22.1K

$131 ¥20.4K

67.36%

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

$27.31 RSD 2,755

$17.94 ¥2,792

52.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 RSD 3,715

$31.96 ¥4,974

15.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.32 RSD 4,269

$61.9 ¥9,629

-31.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 RSD 2,420

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 RSD 881

$10.82 ¥1,683

-19.32%

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

$431 RSD 43.5K

$633 ¥98.6K

-31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K RSD 1.2M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-19.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 RSD 11.6K

$34.98 ¥5,444

228.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 RSD 4,840

$24.53 ¥3,818

95.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 RSD 12.3K

$55.4 ¥8,622

120.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 RSD 16.7K

$61.4 ¥9,560

168.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 RSD 88.1K

$409 ¥63.7K

113.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 RSD 59.3K

$226 ¥35.1K

160.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 RSD 159.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 RSD 101.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,705 RSD 575.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,249 RSD 327.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 RSD 124.0K

$1,517 ¥236.1K

-18.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

2.06

125.24%

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

Last update for Belgrade: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $874 in Belgrade versus $409 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 23% 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 $60.0 in Belgrade versus $31.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Belgrade vs $278 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: $1,641 in Belgrade, $983 in Saitama – roughly 67% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Belgrade and $1,475 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 $60.0 in Belgrade and $31.00 in Saitama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $983, than in Belgrade at $1,641. 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.