An Expat’s Guide to Living in Serbia

If you are an adventurer who likes experiencing different cultures and meeting interesting people, then Serbia is the right choice for you. Serbia is one of those countries that captures your heart (and your stomach too) if you decide to visit it. It might not be on your travel list now, but it’s definitely worth your time and effort.

We will give you all the tips and tricks to get you covered for the incredible journey through Serbia, so stay tuned.

WHY IS SERBIA A GOOD CHOICE

Whether you decide to visit or move, one thing stands for sure, you’ll be amazed by the people, nature, food, the night life (as vibrant as possible), and so on, and so on. If you are wondering about the language, don’t be alarmed, English is widely spoken as a second language there. There will always be someone to help you find your way. Low living costs plus a good starting point to explore the rest of the Balkans, is another bonus thing.

VISA AND THINGS ALIKE

The not so great thing in Serbia is definitely its bureaucracy. If your plan is to stay more than 3 months and less than a year, having a temporary visa is a must have thing. You can obtain it if you are employed in Serbia, have a family there or you are staying there for education purposes. Either way, even if your visit is up to 90 days,  you will have to prepare to stand in a line for some time to get things sorted. First, you need to register with the police within 48 hours after arriving, or a more soothing option would be to stay in a hotel  or hostel and they can do that for you. You will need to visit one of the neighboring countries, if your wish is to stay there longer than three months. Moving there for good, would require you to live there for a long period of time or to be wed to a Serb.

EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS

Finding a job in Serbia, does not sound difficult, if you want to try being an English teacher, but earning large sums of money can be mission impossible. Unemployment is on the rise, and the average wage in Belgrade is around 300 euro. Most local people have two jobs trying to survive and assure the best possible life for themselves, so maybe the best possible way to stay and live in Belgrade comfortably, would be by finding some freelance work, preferably online.

UP OR DOWN THE SERBIAN ROAD

Belgrade is definitely the most attractive place to live for expats, since it holds so much diversity in every possible way. Every part of it has its charm and beauty, old Belgrade with so much history to tell and New Belgrade that represents the modern age of this beautiful city, with a lot of great restaurants and peaceful blocks and parks, to enjoy your moment of solitude.

If by any chance, you would like to find a perfect combination of the two, Zemun is definitely an option for you. Full of historical tales with a hint of modernism, the place where you’ll feel like home.

But Belgrade is not the only one that can bewitch you, places like Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac have their own enchanting stories. Smaller, quieter, but also big enough to offer you a wide range of things to do and enjoy. If you are planning to work there, the best option would be some freelance work.

If you decide to visit Serbia or stay there for a long time, there are a lot of properties to rent, jobs to find and so many things you might need while here, so the last thing to do is just click here and find it.

HOT OR COLD?

When we talk about seasons in Serbia, in recent years, you can only clearly distinguish two, winter and summer. Winters might not be as cold as you expect them to be, but some cold waves might come your way and surprise you. And then we have summers, long and very hot, perfect to be spent on a beach near the city or a town. But sometimes, life gives you lemons, and you need to work on those long and hot days, or do some errands around the city or town.

If those days are not your cup of tea, push away all those negative feelings and visit some of the great summer festivals that Serbian cities have to offer. Embrace the love people are spreading on those days, and you will forget about how hot it actually is. 

Live your life in Serbia to the fullest, emerge from the well known into a new world.