Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Belgrade Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Belgrade

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Nis vs $1,641 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Nis vs $2,474 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,994 per month in Nis vs $3,307 in Belgrade, rent included.

Nis is about 36% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Nis sits 24% below the global median, while Belgrade is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 RSD 776

$13.70 RSD 1,382

-43.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.00 RSD 3,531

$60.1 RSD 6,063

-41.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 RSD 996

$13.52 RSD 1,364

-27.00%

Cappuccino

$2.00 RSD 202

$3.32 RSD 335

-39.76%

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

$2.35 RSD 237

$2.82 RSD 285

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RSD 191

$2.46 RSD 248

-23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 RSD 379

$3.61 RSD 364

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RSD 455

$4.04 RSD 407

11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 RSD 121

$1.50 RSD 151

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 RSD 72.6

$1.15 RSD 116

-37.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RSD 176

$2.90 RSD 292

-39.66%

Eggs

$2.42 RSD 244

$2.80 RSD 282

-13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 RSD 807

$11.67 RSD 1,177

-31.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 RSD 603

$7.29 RSD 735

-17.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 RSD 1,107

$16.46 RSD 1,661

-33.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 RSD 112

$1.76 RSD 177

-36.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 178

$1.89 RSD 190

-6.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 RSD 152

$2.03 RSD 205

-26.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 RSD 211

$3.25 RSD 328

-35.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RSD 79.6

$0.98 RSD 98.5

-19.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 80.5

$0.70 RSD 70.6

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 RSD 65.6

$0.83 RSD 84.1

-21.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 RSD 63.3

$0.74 RSD 74.3

-14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 RSD 471

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 RSD 562

$10.17 RSD 1,026

-45.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.9

$0.90 RSD 91.1

-21.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RSD 130

$1.57 RSD 158

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 RSD 193

$3.08 RSD 311

-37.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RSD 65.6

$1.06 RSD 107

-38.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 RSD 847

$18.08 RSD 1,825

-53.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RSD 185

$1.96 RSD 197

-6.12%

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

$31.5K RSD 3.2M

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

-1.40%

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

$25.0K RSD 2.5M

$24.9K RSD 2.5M

0.48%

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

$164 RSD 16.6K

$219 RSD 22.1K

-25.03%

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

$20.57 RSD 2,075

$27.31 RSD 2,755

-24.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.38 RSD 2,359

$36.82 RSD 3,715

-36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.95 RSD 3,123

$42.32 RSD 4,269

-26.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 RSD 1,652

$23.99 RSD 2,420

-31.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 RSD 513

$8.73 RSD 881

-41.81%

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

$257 RSD 25.9K

$431 RSD 43.5K

-40.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,099 RSD 514.5K

$11.6K RSD 1.2M

-55.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 RSD 9,082

$115 RSD 11.6K

-21.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 RSD 4,025

$47.98 RSD 4,840

-16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 RSD 10.5K

$122 RSD 12.3K

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 RSD 11.6K

$165 RSD 16.7K

-30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RSD 39.8K

$874 RSD 88.1K

-54.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RSD 28.8K

$587 RSD 59.3K

-51.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 RSD 62.6K

$1,585 RSD 159.9K

-60.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RSD 43.5K

$1,009 RSD 101.8K

-57.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,592 RSD 261.5K

$5,705 RSD 575.6K

-54.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,926 RSD 194.3K

$3,249 RSD 327.8K

-40.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$952 RSD 96.0K

$1,229 RSD 124.0K

-22.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.11

4.64

10.13%

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

Last update for Nis: August 30, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Nis versus $874 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 29% 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 $35.00 in Nis versus $60.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $259 – making Nis 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

Nis vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,044 in Nis, $1,641 in Belgrade – roughly 57% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,566 per month in Nis and $2,461 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nis, 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 $35.00 in Nis 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 39% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Belgrade at $1,641. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nis. 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.