Moving to Portugal from Serbia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 35.7% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly €87,507 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 €87,507

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 11.6% more

Groceries

pay 39.5% more

Transportation

pay 26.1% more

Housing

pay 80.8% more

Childcare

pay 74.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.0% 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 Portugal cost about 11% more than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 43%

Portugal

Cascais 57%
Almada 52%
Porto 51%
Faro 51%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
200 ↑ 292% vs 2015

people born in Serbia live in Portugal · UN DESA

Who's moving to Portugal?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Serbia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.0
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
PT
7.2

Portugal 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
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
PT
57.7

Portugal 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
PT
10.0

Portugal 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
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
PT
12.3%

Portugal 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%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
PT
$41,700

Portugal 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
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
PT
2.5

Portugal generally does better on family life, though Serbia leads in literacy rate.

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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Lisbon
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Lisbon
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Portugal

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Portugal 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 Portugal than Serbia?

On average Portugal is around 33% pricier than Serbia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

Budget about €21,877 for 3 months in Portugal (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 Portugal?

Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Portugal safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Serbia?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS PT
Population 6,739,471 10,242,081
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Euro (€)
Languages Serbian Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112