EUROCOSTSCOUNTRY COMPARISON · UPDATED 2026-07-16
Portugal vs Serbia: taxes, salary and cost of living
The practical contrast between Portugal and Serbia becomes clearest when monthly income is tested against rent, food and mobility rather than viewed in isolation.
Portugal vs Serbia at a glance
| Indicator | Portugal | Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Standard VAT | 23% | 20% |
| Income tax | 12.5-48% | 10% |
| Social contributions | 34.75% | 29.9% |
| Tax burden | 41.8% | ~39% |
| Average monthly salary | €1,877 | €1,366 |
| Studio rent | €900 | €420 |
| Monthly food estimate | €300 | €250 |
| Gasoline | 1.73 €/L | 1.55 €/L |
| Electricity | 0.24 €/kWh | 0.12 €/kWh |
How far does the local salary go?
Portugal records the higher listed monthly salary. The gap is €511, approximately 37.4% relative to the lower figure. Within the numeric EuroCosts sample, Portugal ranks 18 of 27 for salary and Serbia ranks 23 of 27. That ranking is useful context, but gross and net labels must be checked in the source record.
What recurring living costs reveal
Serbia has the lower listed studio rent by €480, a 114.3% difference relative to the higher rent. Portugal sits 26 of 37 and Serbia 5 of 37 in the available low-to-high rent ranking. Serbia also has the lower food estimate, so the housing result is reinforced by groceries.
After subtracting only the listed rent and food estimates, the simplified remainder is €677 in Portugal and €696 in Serbia. This leaves €19 more in Serbia, before utilities, transport, healthcare, childcare or personal taxes not already reflected in salary.
Tax profile for employees
Tax-burden values include a range or text note for at least one country. The standard VAT comparison—23% in Portugal and 20% in Serbia—is more directly comparable, although reduced rates differ by product.
Fuel-price impact
Serbia has the lower listed gasoline price by €0.18 per litre. For a driver buying 50 litres a month, that headline difference is about €9 monthly, before insurance, parking and road charges.
The answer depends on your profile
A single professional comparing Portugal with Serbia should stress-test rent and take-home pay, while a family should give more weight to food, utilities and services that are not fully represented here. A company founder must separately review corporate and dividend taxation.
Final view: Portugal or Serbia?
Serbia produces the stronger simplified monthly remainder in this dataset, while Serbia leads on listed rent. That split explains why there is no universal winner.
Sources and data references
- PwC standard VAT rates
- PwC personal income tax rates
- PwC corporate income tax rates
- EuroCosts data scope and generation process
Explore Portugal comparisons · Explore Serbia comparisons