Best Cities in Serbia for Digital Nomads
Serbia is one of my favorite countries on the planet, and it’s a top spot for digital nomads. There are plenty of cities in Serbia that can be a lovely short-term home.
The nation is friendly, affordable and fun, and the visa rules are pretty laid-back. Loads of remote workers live in Serbia, both short-term and long-term, and it won’t be long before it’s even more popular. I was in Serbia 6 years ago, and then a couple of months ago – and the second time, there were way more tourists and travelers.
Now before we kick off with this quick guide, I’ve got a big fat confession: I haven’t been to all of these places, and I’ve only lived in one of them. But I’ve got friends who’ve lived in all of them, and I’ve visited all but one. So feel free to close your browser, and think I’m a big ol’ idiot, and never read any of my posts again. Or alternatively, join me as my wing my way through this article.
Anyway, here are the best cities in Serbia for a fun little relocation…
Best Overall City in Serbia: Belgrade
The most obvious pick on this list, and the most popular pick by far.
I spent four months living in Belgrade, and I absolutely loved the place. The nightlife is brilliant, people are friendly, it’s ridiculously charming, there’s always something to do, and it’s pretty cheap for a European capital.
Honestly, I 100% recommend living here. I’d like to live there again one day.
If you haven’t lived in the Balkans, it’s a perfect place to start – it takes most of the best bits of the region, and stuffs them together into one (relatively) little city. Like most big Balkan cities, you get ugly buildings, smiling faces, non-stop parties, cheap alcohol and underrated food. You’ll fall in love with the place, but you won’t really be sure why.
Zemun
Over the Sava River from Belgrade, you have Zemun.
Some people reckon Zemun is part of Belgrade, while others think its an independent little town of its own. I don’t know which of those things is the truth, and I can’t be bothered to Google it.
Anyway, if you want to feel like you’re in a village while actually living in part of a big city, here’s the top choice for you – some parts of Zemum are only around 20 minutes from Belgrade by bus. Lots of Belgrade’s city-center residents visit Zemun on weekends for a cute and easy city escape.
Here, you get colorful houses, cheaper rent, traditional restaurants, close proximity to central Belgrade, and a more ‘local’ atmosphere. Oh, and the food and nightlife scenes are surprisingly good.
Novi Sad
Just 60 miles (100km) north of Belgrade, Novi Sad is Belgrade’s second-biggest city.
It’s most famous for two things: being colorful (more like a Polish or German city than a Serbian one), and EXIT Festival, probably the biggest music festival in the Balkans. It also has a big fortress, about 7 million cafés, and lots of friendly people.
But it’s not as amazing as some people seem to think. Online and in-person, you get loads of people raving about how beautiful Novi Sad is. It’s fine, and it’s relatively pretty, but it’s hardly Rome – we’ve all seen colorful buildings before.
That said, living here is probably pretty rewarding. People speak good English, there’s a small expat community, the place is surprisingly multicultural, and I’ve heard that there’s some decent nightlife. And on top of that, cos it’s not the biggest city in Serbia, it’s a bit cheaper than Belgrade (good if you’re on a tight budget).
It’s also really close to Fruska Gora National Park, an easy and convenient green getaway from the city. It’s not the best national park in Serbia, and it’s a bit overrated. But living really close to it would be nice.
Best City in Serbia for Young People: Niš
A student city, I’ve never actually been here. But I’ve got some friends who’ve lived (or live) in the city, and they like the place.
It’s cheap, and it has good nightlife, a young population, and (so I’ve heard) the best food in Serbia. If you’re young, on a budget, or prefer meeting locals to foreigners, you might like living here.
It’s also close to the borders of both Bulgaria and North Macedonia, which is good for weekend trips and moving on (North Macedonia is a massively underrated destination, so pop there if you can). And the city has an airport with cheap flights, so it’s surprisingly easy to get in and out of the country via the city.
Niš has a small population of around 200,000, and most of them like a party. There are lots of bars and nightlife spots, and apparently loads of live music.
Best City in Serbia for People Who Like Nature: Užice
I was in Užice about 6 years ago. A labyrinthine mesh of steep streets and hidden alleyways, it’s a lovely little place to spend some time.
But it’s not like the other cities on this list. The others feel all all urban and busy, but Užice is pretty quiet and small, with a diminutive population of around 300,000 people (though it feels way smaller).
The big plus point here is that Užice is on the outskirts of Tara National Park, probably the most beautiful national park in the nation. If you prefer to spend your weekends hiking, cycling and outdoor adventuring rather than partying, you’ll probably prefer Užice to anywhere else on this list. It’s one of the best cities in Serbia for outdoor fun.
All that said, there aren’t many expats in Užice, and you won’t find loads of people to hang out with.
When you’re in Uzice, make sure you have a ‘komplet lepinja,’ one of the greasiest (but tastiest) Serbian foods.
Final Words
There you are kid – the 5 best cities in Serbia for working remotely!
Yeah, there are loads of other cities in Serbia, but I don’t think many of them have an expat community, a big remote working scene, or much stuff to do – so you’re probably not interested in them.
Overall, I obviously recommend Belgrade, but you’re the boss.
If this has been helpful, you can send me a donation in the box below (but don’t worry about it, cos I probably wouldn’t give money to a stranger on the internet either).
Anyway, thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time.
