Moving to Serbia from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Serbia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Serbia, you would find that Serbia is 43.2% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly RSD4,410,000 in Serbia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Serbian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Serbia cheaper than New Zealand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 16.5% less
Groceries
pay 42.0% less
Transportation
pay 23.1% less
Housing
pay 59.1% less
Childcare
pay 60.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.3% 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.
What salary do you need in Serbia?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → RSD4,410,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia
Calculate with your salary →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 4% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Serbia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Serbia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Serbia?
Top countries of origin for Serbia's foreign-born residents.
- 342,526
- 288,708
- 72,596
- 47,637
- 16,392
- 11,139
- · · ·
-
74.23
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Serbia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand 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
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
New Zealand 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
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Serbia leads in water stress level.
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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Serbia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia (2017). How we calculate this
Weather in Serbia vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia
Can you move from New Zealand to Serbia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Serbia
Visa Free
Serbia passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa RequiredData: 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 New Zealand?
Yes — Serbia is on average about 43% cheaper than New Zealand. 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 RSD1,102,500 in Serbia on a NZ$130,000 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?
New Zealand 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 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Serbia compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand 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 36.1 in New Zealand. Serbia scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Serbia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Belgrade is 62°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Serbia?
The official language in Serbia is Serbian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
