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Belgrade
#52 of 124
Europe

Belgrade

Serbia

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Belgrade compare to Sofia?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Belgrade is 2% worse off vs in Sofia

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Belgrade compared to Sofia, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$59,718
+$13K (+27%) vs Sofia
Based on 369 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$41,803
+$2K (+6%) vs Sofia
Tax Rate: 30%

Community Insights

New

Belgrade offers a high-energy lifestyle with a growing tech scene that punches above its weight, anchored by major players like Microsoft and a lively startup ecosystem. For software engineers earning foreign currency or securing top-tier local roles, the financial arbitrage is attractive, allowing for a comfortable life with lower taxes and affordable services. However, this comes at the cost of dealing with intense winter pollution and a chaotic bureaucracy that can be frustrating for those used to streamlined Western systems. The city is best viewed as a vibrant, gritty hub with heart, rather than a polished, predictable European capital.

Resident Sentiment

The sentiment among transplants is a mix of passionate affection and pragmatic frustration. Many "love" the city's soul, nightlife, and welcoming people, often describing it as one of the coolest places they've lived. However, this is frequently counterbalanced by venting about the air quality and the headache of paperwork. There is a distinct "fatigue" mentioned regarding rising costs and newcomers, but the core community remains social and engaging for those who make an effort to integrate.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Sofia.

Rankings

Cost of Living

Top 27%

#34

of 124 cities

36/100

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Middle of the pack

#46

of 124 cities

62.1/100

Current value

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#46

of 124 cities

30%

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Belgrade compared to Sofia?

Avg. Property Price
$3,961 / m²
17% more expensive than Sofia
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Belgrade to maintain the same standard of living.

$

Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
7% more expensive than Sofia
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Belgrade

Yandex logo
Yandex
Microsoft logo
Microsoft
Luxoft logo
Luxoft

The Good

  • Vibrant tech community with active meetups (e.g., Women in Tech, Azure Serbia, Product groups) and major hubs like the Microsoft Development Center Serbia (MDCS).
  • Affordable cost of living relative to Western Europe and the US, though housing costs are rising.
  • High-quality internet that is generally fast and reliable, making it suitable for remote work and digital nomads.
  • Friendly and hospitable locals, with a strong social culture that makes it easy to meet people outside of work.
  • Low income tax rates for effective tax planning, especially if structured correctly (though "pausal" tax rules for freelancers have become more complex).
  • Excellent nightlife and cafe culture, often cited as having a "cool" and energetic vibe that appeals to young professionals.

The Bad

  • Severe air pollution, particularly in winter, which is a frequent and major complaint among residents and expats.
  • Bureaucratic hurdles are significant; dealing with government administration is often described as "crazy," "disorganized," and slow.
  • Rising housing costs have made buying property difficult (affordability rank #54), with rents also increasing due to an influx of foreigners.
  • Language barrier in daily services; while tech workers speak English, some locals in service industries may be fatigued by non-Serbian speakers.
  • Variable local salaries; while foreign companies pay well, local market rates can be significantly lower (€1,600–€2,800 net/month range mentioned in discussions).
  • Political and economic instability perception, with some expats citing a feeling of the country being "disorganized" compared to Western standards.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Remote workers or freelancers earning Western salaries who can navigate the new "pausal" tax independence tests will find their money goes very far here. Young, social engineers looking for a city with a 24/7 pulse, active meetups, and a non-sterile environment will thrive. It is also a strong fit for career-focused developers aiming for specific hubs like MDCS which offer world-class engineering challenges locally.

Skip it if...

Health-conscious individuals sensitive to air quality should avoid moving here, as the pollution levels are a dealbreaker for many. Those who crave predictability, efficiency, and strict rule of law will likely struggle with the "disorganized" nature of Serbian administration. Families looking to buy property immediately might find the market overheated relative to local incomes.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather4.4/10+7% vs Sofia
Safety62+1%
Pollution69+2%
Events0
4.4/10TechCities weather score vs 4.1/10 in Sofia

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
17°C(vs 16°C in Sofia)
Average Low
7°C(vs 5°C in Sofia)
Sunshine Hours
2,112h/yr-65h/yr
Hottest Month High
28°C(same as Sofia)
Coldest Month Low
-2°C(vs -5°C in Sofia)
Rainy Days
76/yr+11/yr(+16%)

Community & Quality

Belgrade community pulse

Belgrade has 0 Luma events listed.

Sofia has no listed Luma events for comparison.

Purchasing Power

Middle of the pack

#52

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Middle of the pack

#53

of 124 cities

≈7.6 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Middle of the pack

#58

of 124 cities

44/100 weather score

Current value

Community Events

Middle of the pack

#78

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Net Income

Middle of the pack

#78

of 124 cities

$41,803/yr

Current value

Pollution Score

Bottom 19%

#102

of 124 cities

69.2/100

Current value (lower is better)

SWE Affordability
7.6 years
0.7 years longer than Sofia
Muggy Days
10/yr+8/yr(+586%)
Cloud Cover
46%(vs 39% in Sofia)