Moving to Serbia from Israel

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Israel to Serbia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Israel to Serbia, you would find that Serbia is 61.4% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪230,000 salary in Israel would need to be roughly RSD3,030,000 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 72°F in Jerusalem, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Israel and Serbia.

What does your salary buy?

₪230,000 → RSD3,030,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 54.6% less

Groceries

pay 52.5% less

Transportation

pay 48.8% less

Housing

pay 72.6% less

Childcare

pay 76.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 64.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 34.17 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.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Serbia cost about 41% less than cities in Israel.

Israel

Ramat Gan 79%
Netanya 74%
Beersheba 72%

Serbia

Novi Sad 42%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Israel to Serbia.

Living there in 2020
109

people born in Israel 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

The numbers behind daily life in Serbia compared to Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
RS
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IL
4.2
RS
7.4

Israel 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

IL
$4,033
RS
$2,303
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IL
38.0
RS
31.0

Israel 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

IL
15.0
RS
45.0

Israel 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

IL
29.2
RS
33.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
RS
5.7%

Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though Serbia leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.5%
RS
7.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$60,337
RS
$15,262

Israel 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

IL
83.2 yrs
RS
76.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
2.7
RS
4.6

Israel generally does better on family life, though Serbia leads in literacy rate.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2011–2014), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia (2017). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Belgrade
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 45°/33°F (7°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 71°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 53°/39°F (11°/4°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Belgrade
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel 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.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Serbia

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

Serbia passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Serbia passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.

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 Israel?

On average Serbia is about 61% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Serbia?

Budget about RSD757,500 for 3 months in Serbia (based on a ₪230,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Serbia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Serbia: 33.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Serbia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Serbia safe for expats?

Israel generally does better on safety, though Serbia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Serbia is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel.

How is healthcare in Serbia compared to Israel?

Israel 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 38.0 in Israel. Serbia scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Belgrade is 62°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Serbia?

The official language in Serbia is Serbian. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL RS
Population 10,122,800 6,549,143
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Serbian Dinar (RSD)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +972 +381
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 112