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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,517 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $2,312 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $3,108 in Belgrade, rent included.

Budapest is about 4% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Belgrade sit above the global median – Budapest by 8%, Belgrade by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,498

$12.19 RSD 1,228

-5.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$49.60 RSD 4,999

14.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,636

$11.68 RSD 1,177

-25.86%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 842

$2.86 RSD 288

-3.15%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$2.70 RSD 272

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 406

$2.17 RSD 219

-38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 857

$3.55 RSD 358

-20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 851

$4.02 RSD 405

-30.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 367

$1.52 RSD 153

-20.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 528

$0.92 RSD 92.7

89.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 635

$3.05 RSD 308

-31.80%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 945

$2.85 RSD 288

8.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,029

$11.46 RSD 1,155

-13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,926

$7.46 RSD 752

-15.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,060

$12.96 RSD 1,306

2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 564

$1.41 RSD 142

31.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 581

$1.89 RSD 191

1.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 661

$1.96 RSD 198

10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,117

$2.78 RSD 280

32.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.03 RSD 104

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 370

$0.75 RSD 76.1

62.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 471

$0.89 RSD 89.3

74.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.78 RSD 79.1

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,068

$4.66 RSD 470

45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,787

$9.65 RSD 972

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$0.87 RSD 87.5

40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$1.51 RSD 153

14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$0.98 RSD 98.5

30.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 993

$3.09 RSD 312

5.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.90 RSD 90.3

25.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,855

$17.87 RSD 1,801

7.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 532

$1.83 RSD 185

-4.37%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

-16.33%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

13.67%

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

$145 Ft 44.2K

$210 RSD 21.1K

-30.75%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,981

$22.09 RSD 2,226

18.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,160

$32.98 RSD 3,324

-38.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$38.57 RSD 3,887

61.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,733

$20.97 RSD 2,114

5.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,787

$7.70 RSD 776

18.83%

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

$454 Ft 138.1K

$449 RSD 45.3K

1.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

32.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$100 RSD 10.1K

-15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

$42.41 RSD 4,274

-1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$113 RSD 11.4K

-15.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$118 RSD 11.9K

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 218.8K

$852 RSD 85.9K

-15.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.3K

$571 RSD 57.5K

-3.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

-13.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 299.5K

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

-3.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

15.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

41.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

48.59%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $852 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 49% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $50.0 in Belgrade. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $243 in Belgrade – so Budapest 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

Budapest vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,450 in Budapest, $1,517 in Belgrade – roughly 5% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $2,275 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 $57.0 in Budapest and $50.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Belgrade at $1,517. 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 $1,450 in Budapest to $1,517 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.