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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Budapest vs $1,642 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,658 per month in Budapest vs $2,439 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,622 per month in Budapest vs $3,236 in Belgrade, rent included.

Budapest costs about 3% more than Belgrade, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Budapest and Belgrade sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Belgrade by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 Ft 4,317

$11.91 RSD 1,207

15.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 Ft 20.9K

$56.9 RSD 5,766

17.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 Ft 3,461

$13.04 RSD 1,322

-15.34%

Cappuccino

$3.39 Ft 1,062

$3.31 RSD 335

2.42%

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

$2.02 Ft 633

$2.82 RSD 285

-28.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 Ft 606

$2.44 RSD 247

-20.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 Ft 1,160

$3.61 RSD 366

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 Ft 1,167

$3.96 RSD 401

-5.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 386

$1.52 RSD 154

-19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 Ft 581

$1.17 RSD 119

58.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 790

$2.70 RSD 273

-6.67%

Eggs

$4.13 Ft 1,294

$2.84 RSD 288

45.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.39 Ft 3,884

$11.52 RSD 1,167

7.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 Ft 2,156

$7.07 RSD 716

-2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 Ft 4,882

$16.14 RSD 1,635

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 Ft 656

$1.73 RSD 175

20.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 Ft 707

$1.92 RSD 195

17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 764

$2.02 RSD 205

20.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 Ft 1,195

$3.17 RSD 321

20.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 Ft 336

$0.97 RSD 98.4

10.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 Ft 340

$0.73 RSD 73.5

47.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 Ft 545

$0.81 RSD 82.1

114.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 Ft 199

$0.68 RSD 68.5

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.28 Ft 2,594

$4.85 RSD 492

70.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 Ft 1,933

$9.60 RSD 973

-35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 411

$0.95 RSD 95.9

37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 707

$1.56 RSD 158

44.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 Ft 488

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.73 Ft 9,004

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 Ft 1,110

$3.24 RSD 328

9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 Ft 444

$1.02 RSD 103

39.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.49 Ft 6,420

$17.49 RSD 1,772

17.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.95 RSD 197

-1.03%

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

$31.5K Ft 9.9M

$31.7K RSD 3.2M

-0.63%

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

$34.6K Ft 10.8M

$25.3K RSD 2.6M

36.73%

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

$177 Ft 55.4K

$225 RSD 22.8K

-21.40%

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

$24.99 Ft 7,830

$26.86 RSD 2,723

-6.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.13 Ft 7,873

$36.51 RSD 3,700

-31.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.2 Ft 22.0K

$42.81 RSD 4,339

63.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.57 Ft 5,820

$23.95 RSD 2,427

-22.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 Ft 2,911

$8.92 RSD 904

4.15%

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

$547 Ft 171.3K

$421 RSD 42.6K

30.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K Ft 5.4M

$12.0K RSD 1.2M

44.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 Ft 32.8K

$112 RSD 11.4K

-6.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.28 Ft 13.9K

$48.47 RSD 4,913

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.4K

$120 RSD 12.1K

-3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$164 RSD 16.6K

-27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 Ft 280.0K

$868 RSD 87.9K

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 Ft 212.2K

$604 RSD 61.2K

12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 Ft 518.3K

$1,591 RSD 161.2K

4.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 Ft 395.9K

$1,007 RSD 102.1K

25.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,952 Ft 1.9M

$5,474 RSD 554.8K

8.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,988 Ft 1.2M

$3,214 RSD 325.7K

24.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,763 Ft 552.5K

$1,264 RSD 128.1K

39.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

4.64

45.26%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 9, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: August 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Budapest versus $868 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 40% higher in Budapest, 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 $67.0 in Budapest versus $57.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $254 – 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: $1,694 in Budapest, $1,642 in Belgrade – roughly 3% apart. Budapest costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,541 per month in Budapest and $2,463 in Belgrade. 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 $67.0 in Budapest and $57.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Belgrade, where all-in costs run around $1,642, than in Budapest at $1,694. In Belgrade it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest 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 $1,642 in Belgrade to $1,694 in Budapest. 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, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.