Moving to Serbia from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Serbia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Serbia, you would find that Serbia is 57.4% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly RSD3,350,000 in Serbia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Serbian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Serbia cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 38.3% less
Groceries
pay 55.4% less
Transportation
pay 14.4% less
Housing
pay 75.5% less
Childcare
pay 77.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 56.4% 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?
$75,000 → RSD3,350,000
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 48% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Serbia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Serbia, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
15.1,309
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Serbia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Serbia performs significantly better than United States 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 United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
United States performs better than Serbia 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
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Serbia leads in water stress level.
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Serbia leads in top income tax rate.
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
United States generally does better on family life, though Serbia leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia (2017), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Serbia vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia
Can you move from United States to Serbia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Serbia
Visa Free
Serbia passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Yes — Serbia is on average about 57% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Serbia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RSD837,500 in Serbia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Serbia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Serbia has 33.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Serbia safe for expats?
Serbia performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Serbia is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Serbia compared to United States?
Serbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Serbia, compared to 36.8 in United States. Serbia scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Serbia compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Belgrade is 62°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Belgrade receives around 26.9 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Serbia?
The official language in Serbia is Serbian. In United States, the official language is English.
