Cost of Living Comparison Between Saitama and Belgrade Cost of Living Comparison Between Saitama and Belgrade

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Saitama vs $1,641 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,315 per month in Saitama vs $2,474 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,646 per month in Saitama vs $3,307 in Belgrade, rent included.

Saitama is about 40% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Saitama sits 28% below the global median, while Belgrade is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 ¥872

$13.70 RSD 1,382

-59.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.87 ¥4,804

$60.1 RSD 6,063

-48.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥739

$13.52 RSD 1,364

-64.87%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ¥464

$3.32 RSD 335

-10.24%

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

$0.71 ¥111

$2.82 RSD 285

-74.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥92.2

$2.46 RSD 248

-76.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ¥386

$3.61 RSD 364

-31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥480

$4.04 RSD 407

-23.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.50 RSD 151

-6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.15 RSD 116

49.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 ¥432

$2.90 RSD 292

-4.48%

Eggs

$1.97 ¥307

$2.80 RSD 282

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 ¥1,844

$11.67 RSD 1,177

1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ¥831

$7.29 RSD 735

-26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 ¥2,265

$16.46 RSD 1,661

-11.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 ¥864

$1.76 RSD 177

215.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ¥343

$1.89 RSD 190

16.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 ¥431

$2.03 RSD 205

36.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ¥633

$3.25 RSD 328

24.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$0.98 RSD 98.5

156.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$0.70 RSD 70.6

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ¥196

$0.83 RSD 84.1

51.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥112

$0.74 RSD 74.3

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥574

$4.67 RSD 471

-20.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ¥989

$10.17 RSD 1,026

-37.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥268

$0.90 RSD 91.1

91.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥310

$1.57 RSD 158

26.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.35 ¥521

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ¥485

$3.08 RSD 311

0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 ¥382

$1.06 RSD 107

132.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.32 ¥3,163

$18.08 RSD 1,825

12.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.96 RSD 197

-46.43%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

-32.55%

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

$14.5K ¥2.3M

$24.9K RSD 2.5M

-41.94%

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

$131 ¥20.4K

$219 RSD 22.1K

-40.25%

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

$17.94 ¥2,792

$27.31 RSD 2,755

-34.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 ¥4,974

$36.82 RSD 3,715

-13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 ¥9,629

$42.32 RSD 4,269

46.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 RSD 2,420

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 ¥1,683

$8.73 RSD 881

23.94%

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

$633 ¥98.6K

$431 RSD 43.5K

46.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$11.6K RSD 1.2M

24.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.98 ¥5,444

$115 RSD 11.6K

-69.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 ¥3,818

$47.98 RSD 4,840

-48.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ¥8,622

$122 RSD 12.3K

-54.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ¥9,560

$165 RSD 16.7K

-62.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥63.7K

$874 RSD 88.1K

-53.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ¥35.1K

$587 RSD 59.3K

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 RSD 159.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 RSD 101.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,705 RSD 575.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,249 RSD 327.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,517 ¥236.1K

$1,229 RSD 124.0K

23.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.06

4.64

-55.60%

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

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $409 in Saitama 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 23% higher in Saitama, 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 $31.00 in Saitama versus $60.0 in Belgrade. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Saitama vs $259 in Belgrade – so Belgrade 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

Saitama vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $983 in Saitama, $1,641 in Belgrade – roughly 67% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,475 per month in Saitama 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 Saitama, 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 $31.00 in Saitama and $60.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Belgrade – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Belgrade at $1,641. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – 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 Saitama. 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.