Moving to South Korea from Serbia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 36.0% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly ₩131,333,629 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Serbia and South Korea.

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 ₩131,333,629

To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 33.5% less

Groceries

pay 2.7 times more

Transportation

pay 1.4% more

Housing

pay 5.0% more

Childcare

pay 84.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 42.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 14.5 KRW (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 South Korea cost about 6% less than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 43%

South Korea

Seoul 48%
Daegu 45%
Daejeon 43%
Incheon 41%

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 South Korea.

Moved in 2023
32 ↑ 7% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to South Korea?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in South Korea compared to Serbia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.0
KR
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
KR
6.9

South Korea 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
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
KR
25.2

Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RS
45.0
KR
19.0

South Korea 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
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
KR
85.2%

South Korea 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%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
KR
$50,600

South Korea 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
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
KR
2.9

South Korea 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

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Seoul
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Seoul
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting South Korea

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Serbia passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter South Korea.
South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
South Korea 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 South Korea than Serbia?

On average South Korea is around 18% pricier than Serbia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to South Korea?

Budget about ₩32,833,407 for 3 months in South Korea (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 South Korea?

Connectivity is usually fine (South Korea: 45.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Korea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is South Korea safe for expats?

South Korea performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Serbia?

Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Serbia?

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS KR
Population 6,739,471 51,844,834
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Serbian Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112