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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,508 per month in Belgrade vs $1,127 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,303 per month in Belgrade vs $1,830 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Belgrade vs $2,533 in Saitama, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 34% 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

$12.41 RSD 1,270

$5.87 ¥955

111.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 RSD 5,026

$34.39 ¥5,590

42.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 RSD 1,224

$4.98 ¥810

140.16%

Cappuccino

$2.83 RSD 289

$3.08 ¥500

-8.12%

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

$2.71 RSD 277

$0.71 ¥115

281.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 222

$0.74 ¥121

193.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RSD 344

$2.03 ¥329

65.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RSD 401

$3.04 ¥495

28.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RSD 150

$1.51 ¥245

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 RSD 96.5

$1.66 ¥270

-43.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 312

$2.94 ¥477

3.74%

Eggs

$2.87 RSD 294

$2.23 ¥363

28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 RSD 1,160

$10.20 ¥1,658

11.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 RSD 766

$5.91 ¥960

26.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 RSD 1,327

$15.52 ¥2,523

-16.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 RSD 145

$5.95 ¥968

-76.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 194

$1.34 ¥218

41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 201

$3.90 ¥634

-49.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RSD 276

$5.91 ¥960

-54.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 105

$3.24 ¥526

-68.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 81.7

$1.76 ¥286

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 90.6

$1.34 ¥218

-33.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 80.1

$0.81 ¥132

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 RSD 463

$4.06 ¥660

11.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 RSD 868

$8.17 ¥1,328

3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RSD 89.9

$1.77 ¥287

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RSD 164

$2.03 ¥329

-21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RSD 99.2

$1.68 ¥273

-42.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,907

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 RSD 330

$3.44 ¥558

-6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RSD 97.9

$2.87 ¥466

-66.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 RSD 1,804

$21.85 ¥3,552

-19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 185

$1.18 ¥192

53.39%

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

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

31.13%

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

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

43.73%

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

$205 RSD 21.0K

$141 ¥22.9K

45.57%

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

$22.48 RSD 2,300

$19.47 ¥3,164

15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 RSD 3,317

$34.15 ¥5,551

-5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.00 RSD 3,989

$69.2 ¥11.2K

-43.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 RSD 2,168

$13.76 ¥2,236

54.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RSD 823

$11.91 ¥1,936

-32.49%

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

$455 RSD 46.6K

$283 ¥46.1K

60.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,282 RSD 949.5K

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-32.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RSD 10.3K

$37.81 ¥6,145

165.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 RSD 4,351

$28.07 ¥4,562

51.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 RSD 11.5K

$59.9 ¥9,727

87.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 RSD 12.3K

$68.7 ¥11.2K

75.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 89.6K

$428 ¥69.6K

104.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 RSD 58.9K

$259 ¥42.0K

122.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

$877 ¥142.6K

79.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 RSD 102.2K

$656 ¥106.5K

52.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,543 RSD 567.0K

$4,887 ¥794.2K

13.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 RSD 328.0K

$2,152 ¥349.8K

48.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

$1,474 ¥239.6K

-17.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saitama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $428 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 21% 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 $49.00 in Belgrade versus $34.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Belgrade vs $300 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: $1,508 in Belgrade, $1,127 in Saitama – roughly 34% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,262 per month in Belgrade and $1,691 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 $49.00 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 $1,127, than in Belgrade at $1,508. 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.