Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Samara Cost of Living Comparison Between Nis and Samara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Nis vs $992 in Samara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,531 per month in Nis vs $1,728 in Samara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,033 per month in Nis vs $2,464 in Samara, rent included.

Nis costs about 4% more than Samara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Nis and Samara are more affordable than the global median – Nis 23% lower, Samara 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 RSD 765

$12.62 ₽1,005

-40.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.69 RSD 3,020

$50.6 ₽4,028

-41.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 RSD 991

$5.62 ₽447

73.31%

Cappuccino

$1.98 RSD 201

$2.30 ₽183

-13.91%

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

$1.83 RSD 186

$1.22 ₽96.8

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 RSD 126

$0.65 ₽51.8

90.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 RSD 257

$1.12 ₽89.4

125.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 RSD 306

$2.50 ₽199

20.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 RSD 130

$1.07 ₽85.1

18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 RSD 76.3

$0.61 ₽48.25

22.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 183

$1.23 ₽97.8

46.34%

Eggs

$2.38 RSD 242

$1.73 ₽138

37.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RSD 801

$9.13 ₽727

-13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 RSD 700

$5.05 ₽402

36.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RSD 1,170

$8.43 ₽671

36.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RSD 120

$1.48 ₽118

-20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 183

$1.86 ₽148

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RSD 153

$2.18 ₽174

-30.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 182

$2.45 ₽195

-26.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RSD 108

$0.66 ₽52.5

62.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 110

$0.51 ₽40.33

111.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 RSD 60.8

$1.73 ₽138

-65.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 58.8

$0.57 ₽45.47

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 RSD 427

$3.02 ₽240

39.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 RSD 579

$4.58 ₽364

24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RSD 76.6

$0.90 ₽71.3

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 RSD 210

$2.31 ₽184

-10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RSD 79.3

$0.46 ₽36.30

69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.17 RSD 2,661

$41.63 ₽3,313

-37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 RSD 148

$3.43 ₽273

-57.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 RSD 43.30

$0.38 ₽30.58

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 RSD 714

$3.87 ₽308

81.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 RSD 180

$0.71 ₽56.5

149.30%

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

$31.2K RSD 3.2M

$48.6K ₽3.9M

-35.85%

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

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

$43.2K ₽3.4M

-37.75%

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

$141 RSD 14.3K

$116 ₽9,253

21.01%

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

$16.79 RSD 1,708

$6.42 ₽511

161.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 RSD 2,255

$8.62 ₽686

157.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.18 RSD 2,968

$35.25 ₽2,806

-17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RSD 1,898

$14.04 ₽1,118

32.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 RSD 501

$4.21 ₽335

17.10%

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

$233 RSD 23.7K

$323 ₽25.7K

-27.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,098 RSD 518.5K

$5,944 ₽473.0K

-14.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 RSD 9,208

$100 ₽7,984

-9.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 RSD 4,687

$47.98 ₽3,819

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RSD 9,720

$130 ₽10.3K

-26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RSD 10.3K

$77.0 ₽6,126

31.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 RSD 41.4K

$455 ₽36.2K

-10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RSD 29.7K

$282 ₽22.5K

3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RSD 56.7K

$1,234 ₽98.2K

-54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 RSD 42.1K

$711 ₽56.6K

-41.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 RSD 259.4K

$2,582 ₽205.5K

-1.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 RSD 191.7K

$1,664 ₽132.4K

13.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 RSD 91.9K

$971 ₽77.3K

-6.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

15.33

-51.40%

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

Last update for Nis: July 27, 2026

Last update for Samara: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $407 in Nis versus $455 in Samara. 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 8% higher in Samara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Nis versus $51.0 in Samara. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Nis vs $181 in Samara – so Samara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nis costs about 4% more than Samara, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,543 per month in Nis and $1,488 in Samara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,029 in Nis and $992 in Samara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Samara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samara, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Nis at $1,029. In Samara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samara costs $992 versus $1,029 in Nis. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Samara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.