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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,023 per month in Nis vs $1,517 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,501 per month in Nis vs $2,312 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Nis vs $3,108 in Belgrade, rent included.

Nis is about 33% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Nis sits 24% below the global median, while Belgrade is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.23 RSD 729

$12.19 RSD 1,228

-40.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.67 RSD 2,991

$49.60 RSD 4,999

-40.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 RSD 1,007

$11.68 RSD 1,177

-14.47%

Cappuccino

$1.99 RSD 201

$2.86 RSD 288

-30.42%

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

$1.82 RSD 184

$2.70 RSD 272

-32.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 RSD 123

$2.17 RSD 219

-43.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 RSD 256

$3.55 RSD 358

-28.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 RSD 293

$4.02 RSD 405

-27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 RSD 134

$1.52 RSD 153

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 RSD 75.0

$0.92 RSD 92.7

-19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RSD 182

$3.05 RSD 308

-40.66%

Eggs

$2.44 RSD 246

$2.85 RSD 288

-14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 RSD 784

$11.46 RSD 1,155

-32.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 RSD 670

$7.46 RSD 752

-10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 RSD 1,179

$12.96 RSD 1,306

-9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RSD 119

$1.41 RSD 142

-15.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RSD 174

$1.89 RSD 191

-8.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 RSD 147

$1.96 RSD 198

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 RSD 180

$2.78 RSD 280

-35.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RSD 103

$1.03 RSD 104

-0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 RSD 114

$0.75 RSD 76.1

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 RSD 55.1

$0.89 RSD 89.3

-38.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 RSD 57.1

$0.78 RSD 79.1

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 RSD 427

$4.66 RSD 470

-9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 RSD 636

$9.65 RSD 972

-34.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RSD 73.7

$0.87 RSD 87.5

-16.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RSD 206

$1.51 RSD 153

35.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RSD 80.7

$0.98 RSD 98.5

-18.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.95 RSD 2,616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 RSD 146

$3.09 RSD 312

-53.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 RSD 45.78

$0.90 RSD 90.3

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 RSD 687

$17.87 RSD 1,801

-61.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 RSD 176

$1.83 RSD 185

-4.37%

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

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

-2.34%

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

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

1.34%

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

$141 RSD 14.2K

$210 RSD 21.1K

-32.76%

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

$16.68 RSD 1,681

$22.09 RSD 2,226

-24.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 RSD 2,289

$32.98 RSD 3,324

-31.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.35 RSD 2,958

$38.57 RSD 3,887

-23.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 RSD 1,892

$20.97 RSD 2,114

-10.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 RSD 484

$7.70 RSD 776

-37.66%

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

$239 RSD 24.1K

$449 RSD 45.3K

-46.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,050 RSD 509.0K

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

-44.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.2 RSD 9,090

$100 RSD 10.1K

-10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.77 RSD 4,714

$42.41 RSD 4,274

10.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 RSD 9,435

$113 RSD 11.4K

-17.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 RSD 10.5K

$118 RSD 11.9K

-12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 RSD 40.4K

$852 RSD 85.9K

-52.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RSD 28.8K

$571 RSD 57.5K

-49.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RSD 57.2K

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

-63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RSD 41.6K

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

-59.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,613 RSD 263.3K

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

-49.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,894 RSD 190.9K

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

-39.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 RSD 91.4K

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

-26.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Nis versus $852 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 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 $50.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $243 – 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: $1,023 in Nis, $1,517 in Belgrade – roughly 48% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Nis and $2,275 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 $50.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,023, than in Belgrade at $1,517. 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.