Moving to Serbia from Iceland
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 49.3% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly RSD2,901,925 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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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iceland to Serbia.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → RSD2,901,925
To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 50.8% less
Groceries
pay 57.5% less
Transportation
pay 48.8% less
Housing
pay 35.9% less
Childcare
pay 48.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.2% less
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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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Serbia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Serbia leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
Iceland performs better than Serbia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland performs better than Serbia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Serbia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Iceland performs better than Serbia across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
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,
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 holder visiting Serbia
Visa Free
Serbia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa FreeData: 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 62% 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 RSD725,481 in Serbia on a ISK9,423,000 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 29.3 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 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 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Serbia compared to Iceland?
Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 28.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Serbia, compared to 45.2 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.
