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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.
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
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.51RSD 991
$19.89€17.70
-52.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.40RSD 4,941
$77.0€68.5
-38.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.51RSD 1,200
$11.00€9.78
4.64%
Cappuccino
$2.29RSD 239
$1.99€1.77
15.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24RSD 234
$2.96€2.63
-24.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76RSD 183
$1.41€1.25
24.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.78RSD 290
$5.60€4.98
-50.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31RSD 345
$5.67€5.05
-41.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29RSD 135
$1.61€1.43
-19.88%
White Bread(500g)
$0.92RSD 96.3
$2.30€2.05
-60.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.12RSD 221
$2.99€2.66
-29.10%
Eggs
$2.55RSD 266
$4.06€3.61
-37.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.48RSD 988
$17.23€15.33
-44.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.76RSD 705
$12.68€11.28
-46.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.20RSD 1,376
$20.36€18.11
-35.17%
Apples(1kg)
$1.36RSD 142
$2.54€2.26
-46.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76RSD 183
$2.15€1.91
-18.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.73RSD 181
$2.56€2.28
-32.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.38RSD 248
$3.22€2.86
-26.09%
Potato(1kg)
$0.96RSD 99.7
$1.92€1.70
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.67RSD 70.0
$1.84€1.64
-63.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.73RSD 75.8
$1.51€1.34
-51.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65RSD 67.4
$0.55€0.49
18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.49RSD 469
$6.81€6.06
-34.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.57RSD 685
$8.03€7.15
-18.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80RSD 83.4
$1.72€1.53
-53.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54RSD 161
$2.37€2.11
-35.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Serbia
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79RSD 82.0
$1.88€1.67
-57.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.29RSD 1,490
$43.31€38.52
-67.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.91RSD 199
$5.57€4.95
-65.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.98RSD 102
$1.63€1.45
-39.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.30RSD 970
$33.78€30.04
-72.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.87RSD 195
$2.04€1.81
-8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1KRSD 3.1M
$35.6K€31.7K
-15.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9KRSD 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)
$188RSD 19.6K
$222€198
-15.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.28RSD 2,218
$11.43€10.17
86.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.51RSD 3,077
$30.65€27.26
-3.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.59RSD 3,502
$52.7€46.89
-36.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.04RSD 1,463
$23.82€21.19
-41.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.48RSD 676
$10.51€9.35
-38.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$330RSD 34.4K
$541€481
-39.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,608RSD 897.4K
$11.7K€10.4K
-26.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.1RSD 10.0K
$90.0€80.0
6.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.21RSD 4,400
$39.08€34.76
8.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108RSD 11.2K
$101€90.2
6.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125RSD 13.0K
$132€117
-5.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Serbia
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487RSD 50.8K
$805€716
-39.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$356RSD 37.1K
$619€550
-42.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$815RSD 85.0K
$1,388€1,235
-41.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$618RSD 64.4K
$1,050€934
-41.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,844RSD 296.5K
$3,623€3,223
-21.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,021RSD 210.7K
$2,229€1,983
-9.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Serbia
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$939RSD 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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Serbia
$356 29.2%
Italy
$619 34.3% ↑ 73.8%$263
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Serbia
$239 19.6%
Italy
$265 14.7% ↑ 10.6%$25
🛒Groceries & Markets
Serbia
$214 17.5%
Italy
$347 19.2% ↑ 62.1%$133
🍽Eating Out
Serbia
$175 14.3%
Italy
$273 15.1% ↑ 56.2%$98
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Serbia
$167 13.7%
Italy
$163 9% ↓ 2.2%$3.7
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Serbia
$47 3.8%
Italy
$74 4.1% ↑ 58.4%$27
🚌Getting Around
Serbia
$24 2%
Italy
$65 3.6% ↑ 166%$40
🏠Accommodation & Living
Serbia
$617 24.8%
Italy
$1K 28% ↑ 70%$432
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Serbia
$260 10.5%
Italy
$276 7.4% ↑ 5.9%$15
🛒Groceries & Markets
Serbia
$504 20.2%
Italy
$821 21.9% ↑ 62.8%$316
🍽Eating Out
Serbia
$580 23.3%
Italy
$939 25% ↑ 61.9%$359
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Serbia
$371 14.9%
Italy
$362 9.7% ↓ 2.2%$8.2
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Serbia
$107 4.3%
Italy
$171 4.6% ↑ 59.8%$64
🚌Getting Around
Serbia
$50 2%
Italy
$133 3.5% ↑ 165%$83
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.
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.