Moving to Illinois from Serbia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Serbia to Illinois? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Serbia to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 2.2 times more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly $109,959 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Serbia and Illinois.

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 $109,959

To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 39.3% more

Groceries

pay 2.3 times more

Transportation

pay 49.2% more

Housing

pay 2.7 times more

Childcare

pay 4.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0097 USD (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 Illinois cost about 33% more than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 43%

Illinois

Chicago 76%
Champaign 53%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Illinois

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Serbia to Illinois.

Moved in 2023
790 ↑ 22% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Illinois compared to Serbia.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

RS
21.5%
IL
34.6%

Serbia performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

RS
81.0%
IL
89.6%

Illinois performs significantly better than Serbia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RS
8.7%
IL
4.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
IL
$70,691

Illinois performs significantly better than Serbia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RS
74.2 yrs
IL
76.8 yrs

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

Data: The World Factbook

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

Springfield Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
63° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Springfield
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 74°/52°F (23°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 83°/61°F (29°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 52°/33°F (11°/1°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Springfield
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Serbia passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
United States 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 Illinois than Serbia?

On average Illinois is around 47% pricier than Serbia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Illinois?

Budget about $27,490 for 3 months in Illinois (based on a RSD7,694,475 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Illinois?

From major Illinois cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Serbia and Illinois are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Serbia?

Serbia performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Springfield is 63°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Springfield receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Illinois?

The official language in Illinois is English. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS
Population 6,739,471 12,830,632
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Serbian English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911