Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Zagreb Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Zagreb

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,508 per month in Belgrade vs $1,717 in Zagreb, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,303 per month in Belgrade vs $2,576 in Zagreb, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Belgrade vs $3,434 in Zagreb, rent included.

Belgrade is about 12% cheaper than Zagreb, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Belgrade and Zagreb sit above the global median – Belgrade by 13%, Zagreb by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.41 RSD 1,270

$11.53 €10.08

7.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 RSD 5,026

$69.1 €60.5

-28.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 RSD 1,224

$9.03 €7.90

32.45%

Cappuccino

$2.83 RSD 289

$2.43 €2.12

16.46%

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

$2.71 RSD 277

$3.04 €2.66

-10.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 222

$2.48 €2.17

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RSD 344

$3.79 €3.31

-11.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RSD 401

$4.73 €4.14

-17.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RSD 150

$1.31 €1.14

12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 RSD 96.5

$1.96 €1.71

-52.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 312

$2.63 €2.30

15.97%

Eggs

$2.87 RSD 294

$3.83 €3.35

-25.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 RSD 1,160

$10.89 €9.53

4.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 RSD 766

$9.45 €8.27

-20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 RSD 1,327

$12.74 €11.15

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 RSD 145

$1.87 €1.64

-24.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 194

$1.75 €1.53

8.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 201

$2.03 €1.77

-3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RSD 276

$2.96 €2.59

-9.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 105

$1.45 €1.27

-28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 81.7

$1.41 €1.23

-43.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 90.6

$1.28 €1.12

-30.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 80.1

$1.31 €1.15

-40.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 RSD 463

$5.75 €5.03

-21.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 RSD 868

$9.30 €8.13

-8.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RSD 89.9

$1.86 €1.63

-52.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RSD 164

$2.22 €1.95

-27.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RSD 99.2

$0.59 €0.52

64.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 RSD 330

$2.26 €1.98

42.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RSD 97.9

$1.06 €0.93

-9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 RSD 1,804

$10.22 €8.94

72.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 185

$1.71 €1.49

5.85%

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

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

$34.3K €30.0K

-10.18%

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

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

$26.5K €23.2K

-1.31%

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

$205 RSD 21.0K

$209 €183

-2.05%

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

$22.48 RSD 2,300

$20.14 €17.62

11.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 RSD 3,317

$32.85 €28.74

-1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.00 RSD 3,989

$50.4 €44.08

-22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 RSD 2,168

$14.41 €12.60

47.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RSD 823

$9.00 €7.87

-10.67%

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

$455 RSD 46.6K

$511 €447

-10.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,282 RSD 949.5K

$13.1K €11.4K

-28.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RSD 10.3K

$102 €88.9

-1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 RSD 4,351

$39.74 €34.77

7.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 RSD 11.5K

$96.1 €84.1

16.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 RSD 12.3K

$118 €103

2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 89.6K

$881 €771

-0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 RSD 58.9K

$671 €587

-14.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

$1,520 €1,329

3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 RSD 102.2K

$1,052 €921

-5.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,543 RSD 567.0K

$4,920 €4,304

12.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 RSD 328.0K

$3,240 €2,835

-1.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

$1,915 €1,675

-36.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

3.72

50.27%

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

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zagreb: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $881 in Zagreb. 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 58% higher in Zagreb, 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 $49.00 in Belgrade versus $69.0 in Zagreb. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $280 – making Belgrade the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Zagreb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,508 in Belgrade, $1,717 in Zagreb – roughly 14% apart. Zagreb costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,262 per month in Belgrade and $2,575 in Zagreb. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belgrade, 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 $69.0 in Zagreb. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Zagreb, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belgrade, where all-in costs run around $1,508, than in Zagreb at $1,717. In Belgrade it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Zagreb has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,508 in Belgrade to $1,717 in Zagreb. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Belgrade. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.