Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Serbia Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Serbia

Name: Serbia
Address: RS

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,074 in Serbia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,580 in Serbia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $2,086 in Serbia, rent included.

United States costs about 146% more than Serbia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 97% above the global median, while Serbia is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Serbia ($871–$1,517), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$10.09 RSD 1,015

98.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$48.57 RSD 4,884

56.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$10.52 RSD 1,058

8.56%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$2.34 RSD 236

130.34%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.19 RSD 221

16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.67 RSD 167

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.03 RSD 304

102.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.55 RSD 357

102.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.46 RSD 147

-28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.84 RSD 84.2

334.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.59 RSD 260

82.63%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.75 RSD 277

59.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$10.29 RSD 1,035

24.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$7.10 RSD 714

74.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$12.54 RSD 1,261

30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.30 RSD 131

316.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.90 RSD 191

-13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.82 RSD 183

152.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.44 RSD 246

101.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.06 RSD 106

175.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$0.89 RSD 90.0

251.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.82 RSD 82.3

175.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.73 RSD 73.0

215.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$4.55 RSD 458

117.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$6.86 RSD 690

120.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.82 RSD 82.9

132.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.72 RSD 173

112.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.82 RSD 82.1

202.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$19.72 RSD 1,983

228.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.93 RSD 194

98.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.88 RSD 88.2

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$11.81 RSD 1,187

158.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.78 RSD 179

-46.07%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

-2.02%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.3K RSD 2.7M

-3.51%

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

$204 $204

$192 RSD 19.3K

6.57%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$20.23 RSD 2,034

183.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$30.89 RSD 3,106

130.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$35.47 RSD 3,567

31.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$18.29 RSD 1,839

20.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$6.76 RSD 680

104.73%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$365 RSD 36.7K

279.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$8,538 RSD 858.6K

165.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$98.0 RSD 9,854

-45.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$43.24 RSD 4,348

-0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$110 RSD 11.0K

-17.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$119 RSD 12.0K

-3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$596 RSD 59.9K

196.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$428 RSD 43.1K

240.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,032 RSD 103.8K

174.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$746 RSD 75.0K

223.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$3,205 RSD 322.3K

2.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,274 RSD 228.7K

16.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$966 RSD 97.1K

353.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.95

-6.33%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Serbia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $377 in Serbia. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $852 in Belgrade.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $787 in Serbia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 334% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 109% more in United States.

Salaries are 472% higher in United States, giving United States 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

United States vs Serbia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Serbia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 169% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Serbia, contributing to the overall 169% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Serbia, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Serbia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.