Moving to Serbia from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Serbia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Serbia, you would find that Serbia is 7.4% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly RSD7,040,000 in Serbia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Serbian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Belgrade averages 62°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Serbia cheaper than South Africa?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 25.4% more
Groceries
pay 11.6% less
Transportation
pay 14.4% less
Housing
pay 20.6% less
Childcare
pay 37.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.2% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Serbia?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → RSD7,040,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Serbia
Calculate with your salary →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 Serbia cost about 17% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Serbia.
Who's moving to Serbia?
Top countries of origin for Serbia's foreign-born residents.
- 342,526
- 288,708
- 72,596
- 47,637
- 16,392
- 11,139
- · · ·
-
38.142
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Serbia compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Serbia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
Serbia performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Serbia performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Serbia performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Serbia generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia (2017). How we calculate this
Weather in Serbia vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia
Can you move from South Africa to Serbia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Serbia. To live, work, or study long-term in Serbia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Serbia's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Serbia
Visa Required
Serbia passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Serbia than South Africa?
On average Serbia is about 7% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Serbia?
Budget about RSD1,760,000 for 3 months in Serbia (based on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Serbia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Serbia: 33.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Serbia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Serbia safe for expats?
Serbia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Serbia is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Serbia compared to South Africa?
Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Serbia, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Serbia scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Serbia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Belgrade is 62°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Serbia?
The official language in Serbia is Serbian. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Serbia
At a Glance
ZA
|
RS
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 6,549,143 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Serbian Dinar (RSD) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Serbian |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +381 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |