Moving to Finland from Serbia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to Finland, you would find that Finland is 62.5% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,551,075 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly €92,167 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 62°F in Belgrade, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Serbia to Finland.

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,551,075 €92,167

To maintain the same standard of living in Finland

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 46.1% more

Groceries

pay 66.6% more

Transportation

pay 76.6% more

Housing

pay 46.9% more

Childcare

pay 45.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0085 EUR (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
30 ↓ 50% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Finland?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.0
FI
1.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
FI
4.2

Serbia generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
FI
$6,433
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
FI
43.8

Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RS
45.0
FI
7.0

Finland performs significantly better than Serbia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RS
29.3
FI
34.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
FI
7.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RS
8.7%
FI
7.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
FI
$57,500

Finland generally does better on employment & economy, though Serbia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RS
74.2 yrs
FI
81.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
FI
2.1

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Helsinki
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 58°/40°F (14°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 65°/49°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Helsinki
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Finland

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

Finland passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Finland 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 Finland than Serbia?

Day-to-day costs in Finland run about 43% higher than Serbia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Finland?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a RSD7,551,075 comparable salary, that's around €23,042 in Finland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Finland?

With 34.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Finland 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 Finland.

Is Finland safe for expats?

Serbia generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in Finland compared to Serbia?

Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Finland?

The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS FI
Population 6,739,471 5,601,547
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Euro (€)
Languages Serbian Finnish, Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +358
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112