Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Serbia

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $395 a month against $1,224 in Serbia, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

🇮🇳 India
$395
/mo nomad
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,224
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Serbia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Serbia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in India versus $1,224 in Serbia.

  • India $391
  • Serbia $1,224

Estimated couple costs with rent: $620 in India versus $1,858 in Serbia.

  • India $620
  • Serbia $1,858

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $849 in India versus $2,491 in Serbia.

  • India $849
  • Serbia $2,491

Internal cost variation is higher in Serbia: monthly costs span $762 to $1,574, compared to $228–$812 in India. City choice carries more weight in Serbia.

Living in India costs about 68% less than in Serbia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Serbia 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Serbia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 ₹203
$9.36 RSD 976
-77.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.57 ₹1,004
$48.07 RSD 5,012
-78.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.77 ₹358
$11.55 RSD 1,204
-67.36%
Cappuccino
$1.76 ₹167
$2.26 RSD 236
-22.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 ₹39.67
$2.19 RSD 228
-80.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ₹13.45
$1.80 RSD 188
-92.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 ₹186
$2.86 RSD 298
-31.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 ₹295
$3.39 RSD 354
-8.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Serbia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.63 ₹59.6
$1.32 RSD 138
-52.27%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 ₹43.45
$0.93 RSD 97.0
-50.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.68 ₹64.3
$2.13 RSD 222
-68.08%
Eggs
$0.93 ₹88.4
$2.52 RSD 263
-63.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.83 ₹458
$9.47 RSD 987
-49.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 ₹276
$6.59 RSD 687
-55.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.08 RSD 1,364
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₹190
$1.35 RSD 141
48.15%
Banana (1kg)
$0.63 ₹59.6
$1.78 RSD 186
-64.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 ₹92.8
$1.68 RSD 175
-41.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 ₹48.04
$2.32 RSD 242
-78.02%
Potato (1kg)
$0.36 ₹34.28
$0.89 RSD 93.1
-59.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.39 ₹36.72
$0.69 RSD 71.6
-43.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.31
$0.71 RSD 74.4
-39.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₹27.53
$0.63 RSD 65.7
-53.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.14 ₹488
$4.40 RSD 458
16.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 ₹696
$6.88 RSD 717
6.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₹157
$0.85 RSD 88.2
94.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 ₹259
$1.48 RSD 154
84.46%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.08 ₹483
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Serbia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₹23.70
$0.73 RSD 76.5
-65.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.49 ₹806
$14.46 RSD 1,507
-41.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹97.9
$1.96 RSD 204
-47.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.69
$1.01 RSD 105
-75.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.61 ₹153
$9.69 RSD 1,010
-83.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹101
$1.84 RSD 192
-41.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.3K ₹1.1M
$30.9K RSD 3.2M
-63.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₹1.9M
$23.7K RSD 2.5M
-14.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Serbia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.73 ₹3,583
$188 RSD 19.6K
-79.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.58 ₹340
$21.57 RSD 2,248
-83.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.89 ₹655
$29.35 RSD 3,060
-76.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Serbia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.63 ₹1,390
$34.02 RSD 3,547
-57.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25 ₹688
$14.26 RSD 1,487
-49.16%
Cinema Ticket
$3.17 ₹301
$6.71 RSD 700
-52.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Serbia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$56.5 ₹5,369
$333 RSD 34.7K
-83.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,646 ₹156.3K
$8,910 RSD 928.8K
-81.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Serbia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.73 ₹2,158
$95.7 RSD 9,977
-76.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.04 ₹2,283
$42.61 RSD 4,442
-43.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.04 ₹3,898
$108 RSD 11.3K
-62.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.60 ₹2,906
$129 RSD 13.5K
-76.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Serbia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$144 ₹13.6K
$494 RSD 51.5K
-70.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$91.5 ₹8,691
$358 RSD 37.3K
-74.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$324 ₹30.8K
$824 RSD 85.9K
-60.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.3K
$614 RSD 64.0K
-65.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,200 ₹114.0K
$2,926 RSD 305.1K
-58.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$619 ₹58.8K
$1,993 RSD 207.7K
-68.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Serbia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$440 ₹41.8K
$949 RSD 98.9K
-53.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.92
4.86
83.54%

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

Last update for India: October 19, 2026

Last update for Serbia: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
India
$102
Serbia
$213 109% $111
Accommodation & Living
India
$92
Serbia
$358 291% $266
Eating Out
India
$68
Serbia
$174 157% $106
Clothing & Footwear
India
$53
Serbia
$169 217% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48
Serbia
$239 395% $190
Sport & Entertainment
India
$21
Serbia
$47 126% $26
Getting Around
India
$12
Serbia
$24 107% $13

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $333 in Serbia. Capital cities: $267 in Delhi vs $823 in Belgrade.

National salary averages: $411 in India, $774 in Serbia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 180% higher in Serbia.

Dining out costs 270% more in Serbia.

Public transport is 57% more expensive in Serbia.

Salaries are 88% higher in Serbia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know
🇮🇳 India
🇷🇸 Serbia
🕒 Local time
15:29 3:29 PM
11:59 11:59 AM
3 h 30 min behind India
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,326,093,247
6,647,003
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • India Serbia 5,250 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • India
  • Serbia

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
India vs Serbia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Serbia?
At $391 per month in India and $1,224 in Serbia, there's a 213% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $333 in Serbia and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Serbia?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Serbia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Serbia?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Serbia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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