Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Belgrade Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Belgrade

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,508 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $2,303 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $3,098 in Belgrade, rent included.

Budapest is about 3% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Belgrade sit above the global median – Budapest by 10%, Belgrade by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,637

$12.41 RSD 1,269

-7.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$49.13 RSD 5,024

14.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,767

$11.96 RSD 1,223

-27.01%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 903

$2.83 RSD 289

0.71%

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

$1.74 Ft 550

$2.71 RSD 277

-35.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 415

$2.17 RSD 222

-39.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 886

$3.36 RSD 344

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 929

$3.92 RSD 401

-25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 401

$1.47 RSD 150

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 554

$0.94 RSD 96.5

86.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 670

$3.05 RSD 312

-30.82%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,002

$2.87 RSD 294

10.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,139

$11.34 RSD 1,160

-12.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,002

$7.48 RSD 765

-15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,303

$12.97 RSD 1,326

4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 604

$1.42 RSD 145

34.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 633

$1.90 RSD 194

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 682

$1.96 RSD 200

9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,137

$2.69 RSD 276

33.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 356

$1.03 RSD 105

8.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 382

$0.80 RSD 81.7

51.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 488

$0.89 RSD 90.5

73.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$0.78 RSD 80.1

-29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,152

$4.53 RSD 463

49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,831

$8.49 RSD 868

-31.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 380

$0.88 RSD 89.8

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 523

$1.60 RSD 164

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 403

$0.97 RSD 99.1

30.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,220

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,032

$3.23 RSD 330

0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 355

$0.96 RSD 97.9

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,087

$17.63 RSD 1,803

8.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 559

$1.81 RSD 185

-2.76%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-14.71%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

17.20%

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

$144 Ft 45.5K

$205 RSD 21.0K

-30.03%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,343

$22.48 RSD 2,299

17.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,357

$32.43 RSD 3,316

-38.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

$39.00 RSD 3,987

62.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,929

$21.19 RSD 2,166

3.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,820

$8.04 RSD 822

10.70%

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

$450 Ft 142.7K

$455 RSD 46.5K

-1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

$9,282 RSD 949.0K

30.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.8K

$101 RSD 10.3K

-15.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$42.53 RSD 4,349

0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.1K

$112 RSD 11.5K

-12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.8K

$120 RSD 12.3K

-14.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 226.6K

$876 RSD 89.6K

-18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 177.5K

$576 RSD 58.9K

-2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 424.2K

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

-14.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 307.6K

$999 RSD 102.1K

-2.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

$5,543 RSD 566.7K

9.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

$3,206 RSD 327.8K

34.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 554.8K

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

44.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

5.59

25.76%

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

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $876 in Belgrade. 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 44% higher in Budapest, 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 $56.0 in Budapest versus $49.00 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $240 – 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

Budapest vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,463 in Budapest, $1,508 in Belgrade – roughly 3% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,194 per month in Budapest and $2,262 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, 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 $56.0 in Budapest and $49.00 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% 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 Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,463, than in Belgrade at $1,508. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Budapest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,463 in Budapest to $1,508 in Belgrade. 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 Budapest. 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.