Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahabad and Belgrade

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $522 a month against $1,554 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mahabad
🇮🇷 Iran
$522
/mo nomad
Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,554
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahabad and in Belgrade

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

A single person spends $522 per month in Mahabad vs $1,554 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Mahabad $522
  • Belgrade $1,554

A couple spends around $849 per month in Mahabad vs $2,337 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Mahabad $849
  • Belgrade $2,337

A family of three spends $1,177 per month in Mahabad vs $3,121 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Mahabad $1,177
  • Belgrade $3,121

Mahabad is about 66% cheaper than Belgrade, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mahabad sits 61% below the global median, while Belgrade is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.97 $2.97
$13.15 RSD 1,371
-77.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.06 $17.06
$57.5 RSD 5,999
-70.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.06 $4.06
$13.38 RSD 1,394
-69.66%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.80 $0.80
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 $1.08
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.13 $1.13
$3.10 RSD 323
-63.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 $0.52
$2.82 RSD 294
-81.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 $0.94
$2.22 RSD 231
-57.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.47 RSD 362
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.96 RSD 412
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.65 $0.65
$1.38 RSD 144
-52.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 $0.51
$1.13 RSD 118
-54.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 $2.07
$2.66 RSD 277
-22.18%
Eggs
$1.18 $1.18
$2.78 RSD 290
-57.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.30 $4.30
$10.99 RSD 1,146
-60.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.21 $3.21
$6.56 RSD 684
-51.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.58 $7.58
$15.07 RSD 1,571
-49.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.66 RSD 173
-39.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 $1.55
$1.79 RSD 186
-13.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.87 RSD 195
-54.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.61 $0.61
$3.03 RSD 315
-79.87%
Potato (1kg)
$0.54 $0.54
$0.92 RSD 96.3
-41.30%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 $0.47
$0.71 RSD 73.8
-33.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 $0.53
$0.74 RSD 77.6
-28.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26 $0.26
$0.74 RSD 77.2
-64.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.92 $0.92
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 $0.52
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 $1.34
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.14 $2.14
$4.61 RSD 481
-53.58%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$8.81 RSD 918
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.89 RSD 92.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.45 RSD 151
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.15 $0.15
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.76 $8.76
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 $0.44
$3.02 RSD 315
-85.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$0.98 RSD 103
-70.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.87 $2.87
$17.08 RSD 1,780
-83.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.10 $0.10
$1.91 RSD 199
-94.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.7K $47.7K
$31.0K RSD 3.2M
53.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$47.6K $47.6K
$24.7K RSD 2.6M
93.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$12.32 $12.32
$220 RSD 23.0K
-94.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.58 $1.58
$24.41 RSD 2,544
-93.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.76 $3.76
$35.64 RSD 3,715
-89.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.63 $18.63
$41.20 RSD 4,295
-54.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.75 $11.75
$22.60 RSD 2,356
-48.01%
Cinema Ticket
$1.97 $1.97
$8.59 RSD 896
-77.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 $106
$424 RSD 44.2K
-74.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,234 $2,234
$11.0K RSD 1.1M
-79.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.20 $23.20
$111 RSD 11.5K
-79.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.48 $28.48
$47.28 RSD 4,929
-39.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.3 $96.3
$113 RSD 11.8K
-14.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.4 $71.4
$157 RSD 16.3K
-54.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 $264
$805 RSD 83.9K
-67.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$211 $211
$546 RSD 56.9K
-61.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$728 $728
$1,452 RSD 151.4K
-49.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$408 $408
$931 RSD 97.0K
-56.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,131 $1,131
$5,368 RSD 559.6K
-78.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$530 $530
$3,155 RSD 328.9K
-83.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mahabad
Belgrade
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$253 $253
$1,237 RSD 128.9K
-79.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
4.61
427.11%

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

Last update for Mahabad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mahabad
$211
Belgrade
$546 159% $335
Groceries & Markets
Mahabad
$105
Belgrade
$241 129% $136
Clothing & Footwear
Mahabad
$99
Belgrade
$192 94.9% $94
Eating Out
Mahabad
$55
Belgrade
$228 312% $173
Sport & Entertainment
Mahabad
$23
Belgrade
$58 159% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mahabad
$18
Belgrade
$280 1488% $263
Getting Around
Mahabad
$11
Belgrade
$7.9 * 29.5% $3.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Mahabad versus $805 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 389% higher in Belgrade, 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 $17.00 in Mahabad versus $58.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $105 vs $241 – making Mahabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Mahabad
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🕒 Local time
00:37 12:37 AM
23:07 11:07 PM
1 h 30 min behind Mahabad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
208,541
1,197,714 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Mahabad Belgrade 2,300 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mahabad
  • Belgrade

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Mahabad vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mahabad and in Belgrade compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $522 in Mahabad, $1,554 in Belgrade – roughly 198% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Mahabad compared to Belgrade?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $783 per month in Mahabad and $2,331 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mahabad and Belgrade?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Mahabad and $58.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 129% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahabad, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Belgrade at $1,554. In Mahabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Mahabad or Belgrade?
Families tend to lean toward Mahabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Mahabad or Belgrade safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Mahabad and Belgrade?
If budget matters most, go with Mahabad. 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.

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