Moving to Serbia from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Finland to Serbia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Finland to Serbia, you would find that Serbia is 28.3% cheaper than Finland overall. A €64,304 salary in Finland would need to be roughly RSD5,268,335 in Serbia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Serbian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Belgrade averages 62°F vs 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Finland to Serbia.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 RSD5,268,335

To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 29.4% less

Groceries

pay 31.0% less

Transportation

pay 35.2% less

Housing

pay 18.9% less

Childcare

pay 29.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 57.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 117.43 RSD (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Finland to Serbia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
33 ↓ 3% vs 2015

people born in Finland live in Serbia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Serbia?

Top countries of origin for Serbia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Finland and Serbia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.2
RS
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
RS
7.4

Finland generally does better on safety, though Serbia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
RS
$2,303
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
RS
28.4

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
RS
45.0

Finland performs better than Serbia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
34.5
RS
29.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
RS
5.7%

Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though Serbia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
7.2%
RS
8.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
RS
$24,500

Finland generally does better on employment & economy, though Serbia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FI
81.8 yrs
RS
74.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
RS
4.8

Finland performs better than Serbia across all family life metrics.

Data: Finnish Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Belgrade Rain: 26.9 in/yr (683 mm)
62° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Belgrade
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 45°/33°F (7°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 71°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 53°/39°F (11°/4°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Belgrade
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland and Serbia. To live, work, or study long-term in Serbia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Serbia's immigration authority.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Finland passport holders can enter Serbia without a visa.
Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Serbia passport holders can enter Finland without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Serbia than Finland?

Generally yes: Serbia runs about 30% cheaper than Finland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Serbia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €64,304 comparable salary, that's around RSD1,317,084 in Serbia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Serbia?

With 29.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Serbia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Finland and Serbia.

Is Serbia safe for expats?

Finland generally does better on safety, though Serbia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Serbia is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Serbia compared to Finland?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 28.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Serbia, compared to 43.8 in Finland. Serbia scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

What's the weather like in Serbia compared to Finland?

The average high temperature in Belgrade is 62°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Serbia?

The official language in Serbia is Serbian. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI RS
Population 5,601,547 6,739,471
Currency Euro (€) Serbian Dinar (RSD)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +358 +381
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112