Moving to Belgium from Serbia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Serbia to Belgium — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Serbia to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 97.4% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,800,000 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly €131,000 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Belgium cheaper than Serbia?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 82.4% more

Groceries

pay 76.3% more

Transportation

pay 41.2% more

Housing

pay 2.6 times more

Childcare

pay 3.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 96.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0085 EUR (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 Belgium?

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,800,000 → €131,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

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 Belgium cost about 18% more than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 42%

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Belgium

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Serbia to Belgium, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
339

people moved from Serbia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Belgium?

Top countries of origin for Belgium's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Serbia and Belgium stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.3
BE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
BE
4.6

Belgium performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RS
31.0
BE
35.7

Belgium 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

RS
45.0
BE
15.0

Belgium performs significantly 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

RS
33.4
BE
44.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
BE
52.8%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Serbia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RS
7.1%
BE
5.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$15,262
BE
$60,750

Belgium 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

RS
76.0 yrs
BE
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.6
BE
3.1

Belgium performs significantly better than Serbia across all family life metrics.

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

Weather in Belgium vs Serbia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Brussels
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Brussels
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Can you move from Serbia to Belgium?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Serbia and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Belgium

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Serbia 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 Belgium than Serbia?

Day-to-day costs in Belgium run about 97% higher than Serbia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Belgium?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a RSD7,800,000 comparable salary, that's around €32,750 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

With 44.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Serbia and Belgium.

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Belgium performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Serbia?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 31.0 in Serbia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS BE
Population 6,549,143 11,941,781
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Euro (€)
Languages Serbian Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112