Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Zanjan

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanjan: $425 a month against $1,554 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Belgrade
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Belgrade Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Zanjan
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Zanjan Living Index

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Belgrade

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,554

/mo nomad

Zanjan

🇮🇷 Iran

$425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Zanjan

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

A single person spends $1,554 per month in Belgrade vs $425 in Zanjan, rent included.

Belgrade $1,554
Zanjan $425

A couple spends around $2,337 per month in Belgrade vs $764 in Zanjan, rent included.

Belgrade $2,337
Zanjan $764

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Belgrade vs $1,103 in Zanjan, rent included.

Belgrade $3,121
Zanjan $1,103

Belgrade costs about 266% more than Zanjan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Zanjan is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.15 RSD 1,371

$2.91 $2.91

351.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RSD 5,999

$13.05 $13.05

340.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.38 RSD 1,394

$3.02 $3.02

343.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$3.10 RSD 323

$0.94 $0.94

229.79%

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

$2.82 RSD 294

$0.49 $0.49

475.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RSD 231

$1.13 $1.13

96.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RSD 362

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 RSD 412

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RSD 144

$0.71 $0.71

94.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 RSD 118

$0.53 $0.53

113.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 RSD 277

$3.18 $3.18

-16.35%

Eggs

$2.78 RSD 290

$1.24 $1.24

124.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 RSD 1,146

$4.47 $4.47

145.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 RSD 684

$3.30 $3.30

98.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 RSD 1,571

$8.86 $8.86

70.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 RSD 173

$1.03 $1.03

61.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 186

$1.54 $1.54

16.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 RSD 195

$0.80 $0.80

133.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 RSD 315

$0.46 $0.46

558.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 96.3

$0.53 $0.53

73.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RSD 73.8

$0.51 $0.51

39.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 RSD 77.6

$0.44 $0.44

68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RSD 77.2

$0.26 $0.26

184.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.72 $0.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 RSD 481

$1.79 $1.79

157.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 RSD 918

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RSD 92.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 RSD 151

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 $10.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 RSD 315

$0.29 $0.29

941.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RSD 103

$0.29 $0.29

237.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.08 RSD 1,780

$0.97 $0.97

1660.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 RSD 199

$0.03 $0.03

6266.67%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.2M

$50.9K $50.9K

-39.07%

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

$24.7K RSD 2.6M

$44.9K $44.9K

-45.12%

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

$220 RSD 23.0K

$13.12 $13.12

1580.03%

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

$24.41 RSD 2,544

$1.57 $1.57

1454.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.64 RSD 3,715

$3.77 $3.77

845.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 RSD 4,295

$12.38 $12.38

232.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 RSD 2,356

$12.44 $12.44

81.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 RSD 896

$1.98 $1.98

333.84%

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

$424 RSD 44.2K

$107 $107

297.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K RSD 1.1M

$2,578 $2,578

325.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 RSD 11.5K

$26.26 $26.26

321.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.28 RSD 4,929

$37.86 $37.86

24.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.8K

$118 $118

-3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 RSD 16.3K

$75.3 $75.3

107.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 RSD 83.9K

$132 $132

507.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 RSD 56.9K

$98.1 $98.1

456.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 RSD 151.4K

$389 $389

273.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 RSD 97.0K

$315 $315

195.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,368 RSD 559.6K

$803 $803

568.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 328.9K

$464 $464

580.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,237 RSD 128.9K

$292 $292

324.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

-79.96%

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

Last update for Belgrade: October 12, 2026

Last update for Zanjan: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Belgrade

$546 35.2%

Zanjan

$98 23.1% 82% $448

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belgrade

$280 18.1%

Zanjan

$18 4.3% 93.4% $262

Groceries & Markets

Belgrade

$241 15.5%

Zanjan

$114 26.8% 52.6% $127

Eating Out

Belgrade

$228 14.7%

Zanjan

$50 11.8% 78% $178

Clothing & Footwear

Belgrade

$192 12.4%

Zanjan

$116 27.2% 39.9% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Belgrade

$58 3.8%

Zanjan

$16 3.8% 72% $42

Getting Around

Belgrade

$7.9 * 0.5%

Zanjan

$13 3% 58.3% $4.6

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Belgrade versus $132 in Zanjan. 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 324% 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 $13.00 in Zanjan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $114 – making Zanjan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇸 Belgrade

🇮🇷 Zanjan

🕒 Local time

08:03 8:03 AM

09:33 9:33 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Belgrade

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,714 Capital

386,851

💱 Currency

Serbian Dinar RSD din

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇸 Serbian Dinar (din)

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to RSD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Belgrade Zanjan 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Belgrade
Zanjan

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 Zanjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,554 in Belgrade, $425 in Zanjan – roughly 266% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,331 per month in Belgrade and $638 in Zanjan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zanjan, 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 $58.0 in Belgrade and $13.00 in Zanjan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zanjan, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Belgrade at $1,554. In Zanjan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zanjan – 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 Zanjan. 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.