Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Serbia and Italy

For one person, living is cheaper in Serbia: $1,221 a month against $1,804 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,221
/mo nomad
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,804
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Serbia and in Italy

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Serbia and in Italy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,221 in Serbia versus $1,804 in Italy.

  • Serbia $1,221
  • Italy $1,804

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Serbia versus $2,778 in Italy.

  • Serbia $1,856
  • Italy $2,778

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,490 in Serbia versus $3,752 in Italy.

  • Serbia $2,490
  • Italy $3,752

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,035 to $2,560, compared to $759–$1,554 in Serbia. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Living in Serbia costs about 32% less than in Italy on average.

Serbia (10% below) and Italy (34% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.51 RSD 991
$19.89 €17.70
-52.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.40 RSD 4,941
$77.0 €68.5
-38.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.51 RSD 1,200
$11.00 €9.78
4.64%
Cappuccino
$2.29 RSD 239
$1.99 €1.77
15.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 RSD 234
$2.96 €2.63
-24.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 RSD 183
$1.41 €1.25
24.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.78 RSD 290
$5.60 €4.98
-50.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 RSD 345
$5.67 €5.05
-41.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 RSD 135
$1.61 €1.43
-19.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 RSD 96.3
$2.30 €2.05
-60.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.12 RSD 221
$2.99 €2.66
-29.10%
Eggs
$2.55 RSD 266
$4.06 €3.61
-37.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.48 RSD 988
$17.23 €15.33
-44.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 RSD 705
$12.68 €11.28
-46.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.20 RSD 1,376
$20.36 €18.11
-35.17%
Apples (1kg)
$1.36 RSD 142
$2.54 €2.26
-46.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 RSD 183
$2.15 €1.91
-18.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 RSD 181
$2.56 €2.28
-32.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.38 RSD 248
$3.22 €2.86
-26.09%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 RSD 99.7
$1.92 €1.70
-50.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 RSD 70.0
$1.84 €1.64
-63.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 RSD 75.8
$1.51 €1.34
-51.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 RSD 67.4
$0.55 €0.49
18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.49 RSD 469
$6.81 €6.06
-34.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.57 RSD 685
$8.03 €7.15
-18.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 RSD 83.4
$1.72 €1.53
-53.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 RSD 161
$2.37 €2.11
-35.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Serbia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 RSD 82.0
$1.88 €1.67
-57.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.29 RSD 1,490
$43.31 €38.52
-67.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 RSD 199
$5.57 €4.95
-65.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 RSD 102
$1.63 €1.45
-39.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.30 RSD 970
$33.78 €30.04
-72.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 RSD 195
$2.04 €1.81
-8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K RSD 3.1M
$35.6K €31.7K
-15.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K RSD 2.6M
$35.4K €31.5K
-29.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 RSD 19.6K
$222 €198
-15.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.28 RSD 2,218
$11.43 €10.17
86.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.51 RSD 3,077
$30.65 €27.26
-3.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.59 RSD 3,502
$52.7 €46.89
-36.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.04 RSD 1,463
$23.82 €21.19
-41.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.48 RSD 676
$10.51 €9.35
-38.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$330 RSD 34.4K
$541 €481
-39.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,608 RSD 897.4K
$11.7K €10.4K
-26.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.1 RSD 10.0K
$90.0 €80.0
6.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.21 RSD 4,400
$39.08 €34.76
8.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 RSD 11.2K
$101 €90.2
6.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 RSD 13.0K
$132 €117
-5.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Serbia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 RSD 50.8K
$805 €716
-39.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$356 RSD 37.1K
$619 €550
-42.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$815 RSD 85.0K
$1,388 €1,235
-41.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$618 RSD 64.4K
$1,050 €934
-41.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,844 RSD 296.5K
$3,623 €3,223
-21.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,021 RSD 210.7K
$2,229 €1,983
-9.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$939 RSD 97.9K
$1,889 €1,680
-50.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.86
3.56
36.52%

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

Last update for Serbia: October 12, 2026

Last update for Italy: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Serbia
$356
Italy
$619 73.8% $263
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Serbia
$239
Italy
$265 10.6% $25
Groceries & Markets
Serbia
$214
Italy
$347 62.1% $133
Eating Out
Serbia
$175
Italy
$273 56.2% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Serbia
$167
Italy
$163 2.2% $3.7
Sport & Entertainment
Serbia
$47
Italy
$74 58.4% $27
Getting Around
Serbia
$24
Italy
$65 166% $40

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $327 in Serbia, $721 in Italy. Capital cities: $805 in Belgrade vs $1,222 in Rome.

National salary averages: $771 in Serbia, $1,888 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 120% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 97% more in Italy.

Public transport is 273% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 145% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

Good to know
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇮🇹 Italy
🕒 Local time
09:39 9:39 AM
09:39 9:39 AM
Same time as Serbia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,647,003
58,850,717
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Serbia Italy 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Serbia
  • Italy

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Serbia?
At $1,804 per month in Italy and $1,221 in Serbia, there's a 48% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Serbia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $721 in Italy and $327 in Serbia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in Serbia?
In Serbia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Serbia?
It depends on what you're after: Serbia wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Serbia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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