Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Tehran: $625 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,538
/mo nomad
Tehran
🇮🇷 Iran
$625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Tehran

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

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Belgrade vs $625 in Tehran, rent included.

  • Belgrade $1,538
  • Tehran $625

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Belgrade vs $1,071 in Tehran, rent included.

  • Belgrade $2,321
  • Tehran $1,071

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Belgrade vs $1,516 in Tehran, rent included.

  • Belgrade $3,105
  • Tehran $1,516

Belgrade costs about 146% more than Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Tehran is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.33 RSD 1,392
$3.66 $3.66
264.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.4 RSD 6,099
$17.96 $17.96
225.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 RSD 1,417
$3.96 $3.96
242.93%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.69 $0.69
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.46 $1.46
-
Cappuccino
$3.13 RSD 327
$1.39 $1.39
125.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 RSD 289
$0.49 $0.49
465.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 RSD 237
$1.65 $1.65
37.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 RSD 391
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 RSD 457
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 RSD 146
$0.70 $0.70
100.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 RSD 122
$0.62 $0.62
88.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 RSD 283
$3.48 $3.48
-22.13%
Eggs
$2.78 RSD 290
$1.23 $1.23
126.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.36 RSD 1,186
$4.29 $4.29
164.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.01 RSD 732
$3.45 $3.45
103.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.72 RSD 1,641
$10.40 $10.40
51.15%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 RSD 173
$1.40 $1.40
18.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 RSD 189
$1.87 $1.87
-3.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 RSD 191
$1.20 $1.20
52.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 RSD 327
$0.67 $0.67
367.16%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 RSD 91.5
$0.54 $0.54
62.96%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 RSD 70.5
$0.47 $0.47
42.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 RSD 84.6
$0.58 $0.58
39.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 RSD 71.1
$0.28 $0.28
142.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.77 $0.77
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.51 $0.51
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.10 $2.10
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.78 RSD 500
$2.56 $2.56
86.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.54 RSD 891
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 RSD 97.9
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 RSD 151
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.11 $0.11
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$5.46 $5.46
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 RSD 323
$0.52 $0.52
494.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 RSD 107
$0.29 $0.29
251.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.18 RSD 1,793
$3.02 $3.02
468.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 RSD 196
$0.10 $0.10
1770.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
$50.0K $50.0K
-38.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K RSD 2.5M
$44.5K $44.5K
-45.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 RSD 22.7K
$12.91 $12.91
1586.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.24 RSD 2,635
$1.64 $1.64
1439.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.35 RSD 3,691
$3.79 $3.79
832.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.77 RSD 4,361
$24.40 $24.40
71.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.80 RSD 2,380
$13.24 $13.24
72.21%
Cinema Ticket
$8.47 RSD 884
$1.96 $1.96
332.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$426 RSD 44.5K
$106 $106
300.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
$2,548 $2,548
347.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 RSD 11.6K
$26.42 $26.42
320.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.99 RSD 4,802
$37.23 $37.23
23.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 RSD 12.4K
$117 $117
2.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 RSD 16.1K
$75.0 $75.0
105.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 RSD 85.8K
$420 $420
95.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$561 RSD 58.5K
$267 $267
109.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 RSD 157.8K
$941 $941
60.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$942 RSD 98.3K
$637 $637
47.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,312 RSD 554.6K
$1,238 $1,238
329.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,165 RSD 330.4K
$708 $708
346.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgrade
Tehran
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,228 RSD 128.2K
$211 $211
482.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.61
24.79
-81.40%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Last update for Tehran: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
$561
Tehran
$267 52.3% $293
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
$278
Tehran
$18 93.4% $260
Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
$246
Tehran
$128 48% $118
Eating Out
Belgrade
$233
Tehran
$66 71.4% $166
Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
$194
Tehran
$115 40.6% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
$59
Tehran
$28 51.7% $30
Getting Around
Belgrade
$8.2 *
Tehran
$7.9 4% $0.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Belgrade versus $420 in Tehran. 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 482% 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 $58.0 in Belgrade versus $18.00 in Tehran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $128 – making Tehran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🇮🇷 Tehran
🕒 Local time
03:52 3:52 AM
05:22 5:22 AM
1 h 30 min ahead of Belgrade
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,197,714 Capital
8,000,000 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.58 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.54 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belgrade Tehran 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Belgrade
  • Tehran

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 Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Belgrade and in Tehran compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,538 in Belgrade, $625 in Tehran – roughly 146% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Belgrade compared to Tehran?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Belgrade and $938 in Tehran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Belgrade and Tehran?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tehran, 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 $18.00 in Tehran. 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 92% 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 Tehran, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Tehran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Belgrade or Tehran?
Families tend to lean toward Tehran – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Belgrade or Tehran 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 Tehran?
If budget matters most, go with Tehran. 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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