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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,048 per month in Nis vs $1,508 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Nis vs $2,303 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,991 per month in Nis vs $3,098 in Belgrade, rent included.

Nis is about 31% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Nis sits 22% below the global median, while Belgrade is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 RSD 772

$12.41 RSD 1,269

-39.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.06 RSD 3,073

$49.13 RSD 5,024

-38.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 RSD 1,007

$11.96 RSD 1,223

-17.64%

Cappuccino

$1.90 RSD 195

$2.83 RSD 289

-32.86%

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

$1.80 RSD 184

$2.71 RSD 277

-33.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RSD 131

$2.17 RSD 222

-41.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 RSD 247

$3.36 RSD 344

-28.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 RSD 308

$3.92 RSD 401

-23.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 RSD 136

$1.47 RSD 150

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 RSD 70.3

$0.94 RSD 96.5

-26.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 183

$3.05 RSD 312

-41.31%

Eggs

$2.40 RSD 245

$2.87 RSD 294

-16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 RSD 837

$11.34 RSD 1,160

-27.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 RSD 713

$7.48 RSD 765

-6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 RSD 1,214

$12.97 RSD 1,326

-8.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RSD 120

$1.42 RSD 145

-17.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 183

$1.90 RSD 194

-5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RSD 154

$1.96 RSD 200

-22.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 189

$2.69 RSD 276

-31.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 110

$1.03 RSD 105

4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 RSD 116

$0.80 RSD 81.7

41.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 RSD 60.3

$0.89 RSD 90.5

-33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 59.3

$0.78 RSD 80.1

-25.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 RSD 430

$4.53 RSD 463

-7.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 RSD 592

$8.49 RSD 868

-31.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RSD 70.0

$0.88 RSD 89.8

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RSD 217

$1.60 RSD 164

33.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 RSD 82.7

$0.97 RSD 99.1

-16.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.01 RSD 2,659

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 RSD 153

$3.23 RSD 330

-53.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 RSD 46.07

$0.96 RSD 97.9

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RSD 699

$17.63 RSD 1,803

-61.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 RSD 179

$1.81 RSD 185

-3.31%

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

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-2.37%

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

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

2.06%

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

$139 RSD 14.2K

$205 RSD 21.0K

-32.11%

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

$16.85 RSD 1,723

$22.48 RSD 2,299

-25.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 RSD 2,262

$32.43 RSD 3,316

-31.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.83 RSD 2,948

$39.00 RSD 3,987

-26.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 RSD 1,952

$21.19 RSD 2,166

-9.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 RSD 502

$8.04 RSD 822

-38.93%

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

$239 RSD 24.4K

$455 RSD 46.5K

-47.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,102 RSD 521.6K

$9,282 RSD 949.0K

-45.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.0 RSD 9,104

$101 RSD 10.3K

-11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.12 RSD 4,716

$42.53 RSD 4,349

8.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RSD 9,772

$112 RSD 11.5K

-14.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 RSD 10.4K

$120 RSD 12.3K

-15.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 RSD 41.1K

$876 RSD 89.6K

-54.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RSD 29.8K

$576 RSD 58.9K

-49.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RSD 57.6K

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

-64.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 RSD 41.1K

$999 RSD 102.1K

-59.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,570 RSD 262.8K

$5,543 RSD 566.7K

-53.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,889 RSD 193.1K

$3,206 RSD 327.8K

-41.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$880 RSD 89.9K

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

-27.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

5.59

33.27%

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

Last update for Nis: July 13, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Nis 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 38% 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 $30.00 in Nis versus $49.00 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $240 – 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: $1,048 in Nis, $1,508 in Belgrade – roughly 44% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,572 per month in Nis and $2,262 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 $30.00 in Nis and $49.00 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,048, than in Belgrade at $1,508. 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.