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 27.4% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly RSD5,661,167 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.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Serbia.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → RSD5,661,167
To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 16.8% less
Groceries
pay 36.0% less
Transportation
pay 18.7% less
Housing
pay 33.9% less
Childcare
pay 54.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.5% 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.
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 1% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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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.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Wellington | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 27% 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 RSD1,415,292 in Serbia on a NZ$130,152 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?
New Zealand 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 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 28.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Serbia, compared to 35.7 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 62°F in Wellington. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 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.
