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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Budapest vs $1,658 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Budapest vs $2,486 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,657 per month in Budapest vs $3,313 in Belgrade, rent included.

Budapest costs about 4% more than Belgrade, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Budapest and Belgrade sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Belgrade by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$13.63 RSD 1,374

5.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$60.1 RSD 6,055

5.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$13.01 RSD 1,311

-13.76%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$3.18 RSD 321

7.55%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$2.93 RSD 295

-25.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$2.49 RSD 251

-19.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$3.58 RSD 361

8.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$4.05 RSD 408

-5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.49 RSD 150

-18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.19 RSD 120

67.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$2.88 RSD 290

-11.81%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$2.84 RSD 287

48.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$11.88 RSD 1,198

2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$7.33 RSD 739

-3.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$16.32 RSD 1,645

-6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$1.76 RSD 177

15.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$1.86 RSD 187

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$1.90 RSD 192

28.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$3.20 RSD 322

26.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$0.92 RSD 93.2

11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$0.73 RSD 73.3

43.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$0.82 RSD 82.2

107.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.69 RSD 69.2

-5.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$4.78 RSD 482

74.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$9.86 RSD 994

-35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$0.90 RSD 91.1

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$1.53 RSD 154

45.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$3.21 RSD 323

7.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$1.02 RSD 103

40.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$17.77 RSD 1,791

19.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.99 RSD 200

-3.02%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

2.41%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$25.2K RSD 2.5M

40.25%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$223 RSD 22.5K

-21.78%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$26.22 RSD 2,642

-2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$36.14 RSD 3,643

-31.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$42.95 RSD 4,329

65.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

$23.54 RSD 2,372

-15.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$8.77 RSD 883

16.08%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$418 RSD 42.1K

34.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$112 RSD 11.3K

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$48.51 RSD 4,889

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$120 RSD 12.1K

-1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$161 RSD 16.3K

-22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$876 RSD 88.3K

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$591 RSD 59.6K

11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$1,603 RSD 161.5K

4.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$986 RSD 99.4K

31.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$5,708 RSD 575.3K

3.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$3,286 RSD 331.2K

24.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

$1,276 RSD 128.6K

35.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

4.64

41.38%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 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 36% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $60.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $258 – 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: $1,730 in Budapest, $1,658 in Belgrade – roughly 4% apart. Budapest costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,594 per month in Budapest and $2,487 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 $63.0 in Budapest and $60.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,658, than in Budapest at $1,730. 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 $1,658 in Belgrade to $1,730 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.