Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Belgrade Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Belgrade

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Zagreb vs $1,517 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,574 per month in Zagreb vs $2,312 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,409 per month in Zagreb vs $3,108 in Belgrade, rent included.

Zagreb costs about 15% more than Belgrade, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Zagreb and Belgrade sit above the global median – Zagreb by 30%, Belgrade by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 €10.14

$12.19 RSD 1,228

-3.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €59.5

$49.60 RSD 4,999

39.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 €8.17

$11.68 RSD 1,177

-18.75%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.09

$2.86 RSD 288

-15.03%

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

$3.16 €2.72

$2.70 RSD 272

17.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.17 RSD 219

8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.16

$3.55 RSD 358

3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.02 RSD 405

16.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.52 RSD 153

-11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.61

$0.92 RSD 92.7

103.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$3.05 RSD 308

-12.79%

Eggs

$3.65 €3.14

$2.85 RSD 288

28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 €9.37

$11.46 RSD 1,155

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 €8.54

$7.46 RSD 752

32.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 €10.95

$12.96 RSD 1,306

-1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.41 RSD 142

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.89 RSD 191

-12.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.96 RSD 198

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 €2.64

$2.78 RSD 280

10.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.03 RSD 104

39.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.75 RSD 76.1

96.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.12

$0.89 RSD 89.3

46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.78 RSD 79.1

65.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €4.96

$4.66 RSD 470

23.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 €8.17

$9.65 RSD 972

-1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.87 RSD 87.5

111.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.51 RSD 153

52.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 €0.55

$0.98 RSD 98.5

-34.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €49.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.09 RSD 312

-26.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$0.90 RSD 90.3

18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 €8.71

$17.87 RSD 1,801

-43.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.83 RSD 185

-2.19%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

13.30%

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

$26.2K €22.5K

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

-3.26%

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

$208 €179

$210 RSD 21.1K

-1.02%

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

$20.19 €17.38

$22.09 RSD 2,226

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 €28.25

$32.98 RSD 3,324

-0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €43.61

$38.57 RSD 3,887

31.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 €12.45

$20.97 RSD 2,114

-31.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 €7.62

$7.70 RSD 776

14.94%

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

$501 €432

$449 RSD 45.3K

11.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

45.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 €84.6

$100 RSD 10.1K

-2.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 €33.95

$42.41 RSD 4,274

-7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 €84.5

$113 RSD 11.4K

-12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €100

$118 RSD 11.9K

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 €751

$852 RSD 85.9K

2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 €570

$571 RSD 57.5K

15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 €1,263

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

-6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €929

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

5.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,268 €4,535

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

0.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,255 €2,802

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,624

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

52.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

5.59

-33.45%

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

Last update for Zagreb: June 2, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $873 in Zagreb versus $852 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 53% higher in Zagreb, 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 $69.0 in Zagreb versus $50.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $243 – making Belgrade the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Zagreb vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,738 in Zagreb, $1,517 in Belgrade – roughly 15% apart. Zagreb costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,607 per month in Zagreb and $2,275 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belgrade, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Zagreb and $50.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Zagreb, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belgrade, where all-in costs run around $1,517, than in Zagreb at $1,738. In Belgrade it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Zagreb has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,517 in Belgrade to $1,738 in Zagreb. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Belgrade. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.