Moving to Germany from Serbia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to Germany, you would find that Germany is 81.3% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly €99,573 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.

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

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 €99,573

To maintain the same standard of living in Germany

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 69.8% more

Groceries

pay 80.6% more

Transportation

pay 88.0% more

Housing

pay 2.1 times more

Childcare

pay 2.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0085 EUR (July 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 Germany cost about 28% more than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 43%

Germany

Munich 66%
Frankfurt 63%
Hamburg 63%
Oldenburg 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Germany

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
24,155 ↓ 2% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Germany?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Serbia and Germany 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
DE
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
DE
3.3

Germany performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
DE
$8,826
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
DE
45.2

Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany 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
DE
15.0

Germany 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
DE
45.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
DE
35.4%

Germany 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%
DE
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
DE
$61,900

Germany 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
DE
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
DE
3.2

Germany 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

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Berlin
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Berlin
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Germany

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

Germany passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Germany 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 Germany than Serbia?

Day-to-day costs in Germany run about 52% higher than Serbia on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Germany?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a RSD7,694,475 comparable salary, that's around €24,893 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Germany?

With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany 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 Germany.

Is Germany safe for expats?

Germany performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in Germany compared to Serbia?

Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Germany?

The official language in Germany is German. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

Share this

At a Glance

RS DE
Population 6,739,471 84,316,622
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Euro (€)
Languages Serbian German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +49
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112