Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Side and Belgrade

For one person, living is cheaper in Side: $1,153 a month against $1,574 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Side
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,153
/mo nomad
Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,574
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Side and in Belgrade

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

A single person spends $1,153 per month in Side vs $1,574 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Side $1,153
  • Belgrade $1,574

A couple spends around $1,793 per month in Side vs $2,376 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Side $1,793
  • Belgrade $2,376

A family of three spends $2,432 per month in Side vs $3,178 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Side $2,432
  • Belgrade $3,178

Side is about 27% cheaper than Belgrade, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Side sits 15% below the global median, while Belgrade is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.25 ₺507
$13.44 RSD 1,401
-23.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.35 ₺1,502
$57.8 RSD 6,029
-47.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.86 ₺488
$13.23 RSD 1,380
-25.47%
Cappuccino
$3.63 ₺179
$3.10 RSD 323
17.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 ₺109
$2.73 RSD 285
-19.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ₺19.35
$2.31 RSD 241
-83.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.10 ₺203
$3.54 RSD 369
15.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.92 ₺293
$4.13 RSD 430
43.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 ₺52.2
$1.45 RSD 151
-27.59%
White Bread (500g)
$0.96 ₺47.29
$1.18 RSD 123
-18.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 ₺130
$2.61 RSD 272
0.38%
Eggs
$2.22 ₺110
$2.78 RSD 289
-20.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.36 ₺661
$11.23 RSD 1,171
18.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.05 ₺299
$6.72 RSD 701
-9.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.37 ₺1,305
$15.22 RSD 1,586
73.26%
Apples (1kg)
$1.54 ₺76.1
$1.59 RSD 166
-3.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.39 ₺118
$1.84 RSD 191
29.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.44 ₺71.4
$1.83 RSD 191
-21.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 ₺60.8
$3.10 RSD 324
-60.32%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 ₺38.78
$0.95 RSD 98.8
-17.89%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 ₺36.99
$0.72 RSD 75.1
4.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.81 ₺89.7
$0.75 RSD 77.8
141.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₺37.73
$0.69 RSD 72.4
10.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.80 ₺138
$4.76 RSD 496
-41.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.96 ₺691
$8.43 RSD 878
65.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ₺87.1
$0.94 RSD 97.8
87.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 ₺155
$1.53 RSD 159
104.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Side
Belgrade
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 ₺31.41
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.23 ₺61.0
$2.99 RSD 312
-58.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ₺51.1
$1.02 RSD 106
0.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.88 ₺341
$17.54 RSD 1,828
-60.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 ₺75.9
$1.85 RSD 193
-17.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$30.5K RSD 3.2M
37.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K ₺1.9M
$23.7K RSD 2.5M
60.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 ₺3,765
$219 RSD 22.9K
-65.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.50 ₺520
$24.82 RSD 2,588
-57.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.39 ₺1,158
$35.79 RSD 3,731
-34.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 ₺2,826
$41.37 RSD 4,313
38.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.96 RSD 2,394
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.93 ₺393
$8.32 RSD 867
-4.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$499 ₺24.7K
$423 RSD 44.1K
18.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,527 ₺471.7K
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
-16.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.49 ₺2,203
$111 RSD 11.6K
-60.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.1 ₺2,926
$47.48 RSD 4,950
24.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$154 ₺7,612
$116 RSD 12.1K
32.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 ₺5,967
$158 RSD 16.4K
-23.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Side
Belgrade
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$478 ₺23.6K
$823 RSD 85.8K
-41.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$308 ₺15.2K
$560 RSD 58.3K
-45.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$763 ₺37.8K
$1,485 RSD 154.8K
-48.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$562 ₺27.8K
$969 RSD 101.1K
-41.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,548 ₺76.7K
$5,489 RSD 572.2K
-71.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$913 ₺45.2K
$3,193 RSD 332.8K
-71.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Side
Belgrade
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,214 RSD 126.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
38.25
4.61
729.72%

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

Last update for Side: October 20, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Side
$308
Belgrade
$560 81.9% $252
Groceries & Markets
Side
$286
Belgrade
$243 15.1% $43
Eating Out
Side
$198
Belgrade
$231 16.6% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Side
$170
Belgrade
$195 14.4% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Side
$110
Belgrade
$280 155% $170
Sport & Entertainment
Side
$73
Belgrade
$58 20.5% $15
Getting Around
Side
$8.9 *
Belgrade
$8.1 * 9.5% $0.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Side versus $823 in Belgrade. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Side versus $58.0 in Belgrade. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Side vs $243 in Belgrade – so Belgrade wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Side
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🕒 Local time
22:48 10:48 PM
21:48 9:48 PM
1 h behind Side
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,500
1,197,714 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Side Belgrade 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Side
  • Belgrade

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
Side vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Side and in Belgrade compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,153 in Side, $1,574 in Belgrade – roughly 36% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Side compared to Belgrade?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,730 per month in Side and $2,360 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Side and Belgrade?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Side, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Side and $58.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Belgrade – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Side, where all-in costs run around $1,153, than in Belgrade at $1,574. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Side or Belgrade?
Families tend to lean toward Side – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Side or Belgrade safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Side and Belgrade?
If budget matters most, go with Side. 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.

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