Moving to Serbia from Iceland

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Iceland to Serbia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Iceland to Serbia, you would find that Serbia is 67.0% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,100,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly RSD2,590,000 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 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Serbia cheaper than Iceland?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 61.4% less

Groceries

pay 61.7% less

Transportation

pay 44.8% less

Housing

pay 78.7% less

Childcare

pay 71.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 69.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ISK = 0.8625 RSD (October 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.

What salary do you need in Serbia?

What does your salary buy?

ISK9,100,000 → RSD2,590,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Serbia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IS
1.3
RS
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IS
2.4
RS
7.4

Iceland performs better than Serbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IS
$6,927
RS
$2,303
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IS
43.7
RS
31.0

Iceland 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

IS
8.0
RS
45.0

Iceland performs better than Serbia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IS
37.5
RS
33.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IS
0.4%
RS
5.7%

Iceland performs better than Serbia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IS
3.6%
RS
7.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$98,323
RS
$15,262

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IS
82.8 yrs
RS
76.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IS
2.1
RS
4.6

Iceland performs better than Serbia across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016), Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia (2017). How we calculate this

Weather in Serbia vs Iceland

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Belgrade
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 45°/33°F (7°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 71°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 53°/39°F (11°/4°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Belgrade
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia

Can you move from Iceland to Serbia?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Serbia

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

Serbia passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Free
Serbia passport holders can enter Iceland 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 Iceland?

Yes — Serbia is on average about 67% cheaper than Iceland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Serbia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RSD647,500 in Serbia on a ISK9,100,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Serbia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Serbia has 33.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Serbia safe for expats?

Iceland performs better than Serbia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Serbia is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Iceland.

How is healthcare in Serbia compared to Iceland?

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Serbia, compared to 43.7 in Iceland. Serbia scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).

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

The average high temperature in Belgrade is 62°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Serbia?

The official language in Serbia is Serbian. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.

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At a Glance

IS RS
Population 392,404 6,549,143
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) Serbian Dinar (RSD)
Languages Icelandic Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +354 +381
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112