Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Belgrade

For one person, living is cheaper in Tehran: $625 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tehran
🇮🇷 Iran
$625
/mo nomad
Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,538
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tehran 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 Tehran and in Belgrade actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $625 per month in Tehran vs $1,538 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Tehran $625
  • Belgrade $1,538

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Tehran vs $2,321 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Tehran $1,071
  • Belgrade $2,321

A family of three spends $1,516 per month in Tehran vs $3,105 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Tehran $1,516
  • Belgrade $3,105

Tehran is about 59% cheaper than Belgrade, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Tehran sits 53% below the global median, while Belgrade is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66 $3.66
$13.33 RSD 1,389
-72.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.96 $17.96
$58.4 RSD 6,085
-69.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.96 $3.96
$13.58 RSD 1,414
-70.84%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.69 $0.69
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.39 $1.39
$3.13 RSD 326
-55.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 $0.49
$2.77 RSD 288
-82.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 $1.65
$2.27 RSD 237
-27.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.75 RSD 390
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.38 RSD 456
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 $0.70
$1.40 RSD 146
-50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 $0.62
$1.17 RSD 122
-47.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.71 RSD 282
28.41%
Eggs
$1.23 $1.23
$2.78 RSD 289
-55.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.29 $4.29
$11.36 RSD 1,184
-62.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.45 $3.45
$7.01 RSD 731
-50.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.40 $10.40
$15.72 RSD 1,638
-33.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$1.66 RSD 173
-15.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 $1.87
$1.81 RSD 188
3.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.83 RSD 190
-34.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.67 $0.67
$3.13 RSD 326
-78.59%
Potato (1kg)
$0.54 $0.54
$0.88 RSD 91.3
-38.64%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 $0.47
$0.67 RSD 70.3
-29.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 $0.58
$0.81 RSD 84.4
-28.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 $0.28
$0.68 RSD 70.9
-58.82%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.77 $0.77
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 $0.51
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 $2.10
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.56 $2.56
$4.78 RSD 498
-46.44%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$8.54 RSD 889
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.94 RSD 97.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.44 RSD 150
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.11 $0.11
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.46 $5.46
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 $0.52
$3.09 RSD 322
-83.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$1.02 RSD 107
-71.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 $3.02
$17.18 RSD 1,789
-82.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.10 $0.10
$1.87 RSD 195
-94.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.0K $50.0K
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
62.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K $44.5K
$24.3K RSD 2.5M
83.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$12.91 $12.91
$218 RSD 22.7K
-94.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.64 $1.64
$25.24 RSD 2,629
-93.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.79 $3.79
$35.35 RSD 3,683
-89.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.40 $24.40
$41.77 RSD 4,351
-41.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.24 $13.24
$22.80 RSD 2,375
-41.93%
Cinema Ticket
$1.96 $1.96
$8.47 RSD 882
-76.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 $106
$426 RSD 44.4K
-75.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,548 $2,548
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
-77.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.42 $26.42
$111 RSD 11.6K
-76.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.23 $37.23
$45.99 RSD 4,791
-19.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 $117
$119 RSD 12.4K
-2.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.0 $75.0
$154 RSD 16.0K
-51.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$420 $420
$821 RSD 85.6K
-48.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$267 $267
$561 RSD 58.4K
-52.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$941 $941
$1,511 RSD 157.4K
-37.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$637 $637
$942 RSD 98.1K
-32.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,238 $1,238
$5,312 RSD 553.4K
-76.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$708 $708
$3,165 RSD 329.7K
-77.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tehran
Belgrade
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$211 $211
$1,228 RSD 127.9K
-82.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.79
4.61
437.74%

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

Last update for Tehran: October 4, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tehran
$267
Belgrade
$561 110% $293
Groceries & Markets
Tehran
$128
Belgrade
$246 92.5% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Tehran
$115
Belgrade
$194 68.5% $79
Eating Out
Tehran
$66
Belgrade
$233 250% $166
Sport & Entertainment
Tehran
$28
Belgrade
$59 107% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tehran
$18
Belgrade
$278 1417% $260
Getting Around
Tehran
$7.9
Belgrade
$8.2 * 4.2% $0.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Tehran versus $821 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 482% higher in Belgrade, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Tehran versus $58.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $246 – making Tehran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Tehran
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🕒 Local time
05:22 5:22 AM
03:52 3:52 AM
1 h 30 min behind Tehran
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000,000 Capital
1,197,714 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tehran Belgrade 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tehran
  • Belgrade

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Tehran vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tehran and in Belgrade compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $625 in Tehran, $1,538 in Belgrade – roughly 146% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Tehran compared to Belgrade?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $938 per month in Tehran and $2,307 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tehran and Belgrade?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tehran, 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 $18.00 in Tehran 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?
Groceries cost about 92% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tehran, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Tehran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Tehran or Belgrade?
Families tend to lean toward Tehran – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Tehran 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 Tehran and Belgrade?
If budget matters most, go with Tehran. 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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