Living in Niš, Serbia

Niš is a mid-sized inland city in Central Serbia, Serbia (250,000 to 1 million people in the city proper). It has a mild climate, averaging 13°C over the year with about 611 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,533 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Serbia is comparatively open, with a self-funded route from about $647 a month in income.

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Est. cost: €2,533; a month for a couple
Climate: 13°C; 611 mm rain a year
Size: Mid-sized; 250,000 to 1 million people
Safety: 62/100; country-level
Residency: Comparatively open; for most foreigners

Limited data for Serbia. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Serbia are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Serbia, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Niš

Self-funded residency from about $647 a month in income

Residency and visas

Comparatively open. Long-term residency is realistic through several routes: owning property of any value, forming a company or registering as self-employed, an investor track, or simply proving sufficient means, with permits issued for up to three years and a path to permanent residence.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Serbia:

Income: about $647 a month (Serbia sufficient-means / independent-stay temporary residence; means are pegged to the 2026 net minimum monthly salary, RSD 65,296/mo for a standard 176-hour month (ranges RSD 59,360-65,296 ≈ EUR 506-557), per month of stay; converted at ~100.9 RSD/USD; as of June 2026)

For short visits, 90 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 108 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Climate

Niš averages 13°C across the year with about 611 mm of rain, which makes it mild and moderately wet. It is warmer than 22% of the 1225 cities we track.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,533 a month to live centrally in Niš, 7% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 68% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Healthcare

Serbia scores 63 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 34% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Serbia: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

Serbia scores 62 out of 100 on safety, safer than 55% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 5.1 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Serbia: country-level homicide rate per 100,000 people (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5, 2023) and Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Questions couples ask about Niš

Is Niš a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Our figures for Serbia are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a mild, moderately wet climate (13°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Niš and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Niš?

We estimate about €2,533 a month for a couple living centrally, 7% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Serbia, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Serbia long term?

Our assessment: comparatively open. Long-term residency is realistic through several routes: owning property of any value, forming a company or registering as self-employed, an investor track, or simply proving sufficient means, with permits issued for up to three years and a path to permanent residence. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: income, about $647 a month (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in Niš?

Niš averages 13°C across the year with about 611 mm of rain, which makes it mild and moderately wet. It is warmer than 22% of the cities we track.