Cost of Living Comparison Between Serbia and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Serbia and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,073 in Serbia versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,584 in Serbia versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,095 in Serbia versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Serbia is roughly 50% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Serbia 20% lower, China 47% lower.

Serbia ($866–$1,513) and China ($535–$1,206) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 RSD 1,008

$2.86 ¥19.36

248.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 RSD 4,955

$23.29 ¥158

110.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 RSD 1,073

$4.83 ¥32.66

119.67%

Cappuccino

$2.38 RSD 241

$3.04 ¥20.52

-21.71%

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

$2.24 RSD 227

$0.45 ¥3.03

397.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RSD 170

$0.27 ¥1.81

522.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 RSD 301

$0.99 ¥6.71

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RSD 345

$2.03 ¥13.74

68.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 RSD 143

$1.75 ¥11.86

-19.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RSD 89.9

$1.67 ¥11.31

-46.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 RSD 260

$0.97 ¥6.56

164.95%

Eggs

$2.74 RSD 277

$1.54 ¥10.45

77.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 RSD 1,032

$13.30 ¥89.9

-23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 RSD 738

$3.21 ¥21.69

127.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 RSD 1,265

$10.79 ¥73.0

15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 RSD 132

$1.81 ¥12.27

-28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 RSD 193

$1.31 ¥8.84

45.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RSD 175

$1.50 ¥10.15

15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RSD 251

$1.14 ¥7.74

118.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RSD 101

$0.73 ¥4.90

36.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RSD 90.7

$0.87 ¥5.86

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RSD 81.1

$0.57 ¥3.85

40.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RSD 72.7

$0.54 ¥3.63

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 RSD 441

$3.53 ¥23.88

23.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 RSD 705

$11.71 ¥79.2

-40.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.9

$0.84 ¥5.67

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RSD 168

$1.67 ¥11.29

-0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RSD 78.4

$0.41 ¥2.75

90.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.41 RSD 1,962

$20.78 ¥141

-6.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 RSD 193

$1.36 ¥9.21

40.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RSD 85.6

$0.33 ¥2.21

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.79 RSD 1,192

$6.86 ¥46.40

71.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 183

$1.12 ¥7.57

61.61%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$19.2K ¥129.8K

61.41%

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

$27.3K RSD 2.8M

$16.9K ¥114.4K

61.29%

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

$196 RSD 19.9K

$51.8 ¥350

279.15%

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

$19.75 RSD 1,997

$9.85 ¥66.6

100.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.80 RSD 3,114

$11.13 ¥75.3

176.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.20 RSD 3,560

$39.10 ¥264

-9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.12 RSD 1,832

$14.89 ¥101

21.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 RSD 705

$6.25 ¥42.24

11.52%

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

$370 RSD 37.5K

$404 ¥2,732

-8.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,273 RSD 836.6K

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-53.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 RSD 9,810

$46.11 ¥312

110.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.16 RSD 4,264

$32.27 ¥218

30.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 RSD 11.3K

$72.7 ¥491

53.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 RSD 12.3K

$72.9 ¥493

66.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 RSD 59.2K

$445 ¥3,009

31.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 RSD 43.1K

$255 ¥1,727

66.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 RSD 107.5K

$927 ¥6,266

14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 RSD 75.4K

$532 ¥3,600

39.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,212 RSD 324.8K

$4,943 ¥33.4K

-35.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 RSD 225.2K

$2,492 ¥16.9K

-10.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$959 RSD 97.0K

$1,057 ¥7,148

-9.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.95

4.06

71.18%

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

Last update for Serbia: June 7, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $376 in Serbia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $866 in Belgrade vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $780 in Serbia, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 31% higher in Serbia.

Dining out costs 67% more in Serbia.

Public transport is 28% more expensive in Serbia.

Salaries are 11% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

Serbia vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $1,190 in Serbia, there's a 37% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Serbia beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Serbia, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Serbia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.