Serbia

Southern Europe

EuropeNon-EU

A low-tax European country with a 3-year citizenship path, residence by investment and a digital-nomad visa, but case-by-case immigration and tax rules.

Overall score

Good · 98% data coverage

Language

Serbian

Currency

RSD

Citizenship

3 years of permanent residence

Personal tax

10% salary tax plus annual supplementary tax for high incomes

Cost of living

€950 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

58Residence12%

71Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

58Salary and work12%

76Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

76Taxes7%

58Business8%

31Investment5%

Daily life

25%

73Quality of life18%

75Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

61Freedom6%

48Rule of law7%

Pros

A 3-year citizenship path
Residence by investment
A digital-nomad visa

Cons

Case-by-case immigration and tax rules

Best for

Remote workersLow-tax relocatorsStudents

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock10.6% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality0.08 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Good

Years required	3 years of permanent residence
Dual allowed	Yes
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 3 years of permanent residence; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Good

139 / 198

Mobility

#36

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free88
On arrival47
eTA4
Visa required59

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$57,205 PPP (2024)

Unemployment7.1% (2025)

Participation59.1% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$1,025 · $1,872 PPP (2024)

Tech (IT & comms)$1,365 · $2,492 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$31,780 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$18,255 PPP (2024)

Price level51 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality32.8 Gini (2023)

Inflation3.9% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Good

Price level51 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	€950 / mo (single)
Cities	Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš

Economy

Economic strength

Good

Output & income

GDP$100B (2025)

GDP / person$15,262 (2025)

GNI / person$31,780 PPP (2025)

GDP growth3.9% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation3.9% / yr (2025)

Unemployment7.1% (2025)

Output per worker$57,205 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture3.3% of GDP (2025)

Industry22.3% of GDP (2025)

Services59.7% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Automotive componentsIT & softwareAgriculture & foodMiningManufacturing

Top exports

Vehicles & partsElectrical machineryAgricultural productsMetals

Type	Upper-middle-income, manufacturing- and IT-led
Key sectors	Auto & electronics manufacturing, IT outsourcing, Agri-food
Summary	A Balkan economy with a fast-growing IT sector, foreign-invested manufacturing and a solid agri-food base.
Currency	Serbian dinar

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Good

Personal	10% salary tax plus annual supplementary tax for high incomes
Corporate	15%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Excellent

Personal	10% salary tax plus annual supplementary tax for high incomes
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Moderate

Corporate	15%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality0.08 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness0.10 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Limited

Market cap8% of GDP (2011)

Private credit35% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Moderate

Investment

Limited

Tax friendliness

Good

Cost of living

Good

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate1.3 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.56 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-0.17 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Excellent

Outcomes

Life expectancy76.0 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality5.4 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians3.10 per 1,000 (2022)

Hospital beds5.78 per 1,000 (2022)

Health spending$2,303 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Excellent

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure19.3 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress5.7% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Good

Digital infrastructure

Internet use87.7% (2024)

Internet resilience60 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed76 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed78 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses10.3% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.40 / 5 (2022)

Rail density39.8 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity6,610 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Good

Attainment

Expected schooling15.0 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment71% gross (2024)

Education spending3.4% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	€1,500–8,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Serbian
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Excellent

HDI0.833 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy76.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling15.0 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025