Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Novi Sad Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Novi Sad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,517 per month in Belgrade vs $1,384 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Belgrade vs $2,085 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Belgrade vs $2,786 in Novi Sad, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 10% more than Novi Sad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Belgrade and Novi Sad sit above the global median – Belgrade by 13%, Novi Sad by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 RSD 1,228

$9.61 RSD 968

26.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.60 RSD 4,999

$50.2 RSD 5,055

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 RSD 1,177

$10.68 RSD 1,076

9.36%

Cappuccino

$2.86 RSD 288

$2.29 RSD 231

24.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 RSD 272

$2.13 RSD 215

26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 219

$1.64 RSD 166

32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 RSD 358

$2.94 RSD 297

20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RSD 405

$3.72 RSD 375

8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RSD 153

$1.53 RSD 155

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RSD 92.7

$1.04 RSD 105

-11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 308

$2.74 RSD 276

11.31%

Eggs

$2.85 RSD 288

$2.55 RSD 257

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 RSD 1,155

$12.18 RSD 1,228

-5.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 RSD 752

$6.76 RSD 681

10.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 RSD 1,306

$12.46 RSD 1,256

4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 RSD 142

$1.29 RSD 130

9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 RSD 191

$1.85 RSD 186

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 198

$1.64 RSD 166

19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RSD 280

$2.42 RSD 244

14.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 104

$1.00 RSD 101

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 RSD 76.1

$0.95 RSD 95.8

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 89.3

$0.80 RSD 80.3

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 79.1

$0.70 RSD 70.6

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 RSD 470

$4.42 RSD 446

5.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 RSD 972

$8.12 RSD 819

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.5

$0.92 RSD 93.0

-5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RSD 153

$2.23 RSD 225

-32.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 RSD 98.5

$0.95 RSD 95.3

3.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.77 RSD 2,496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 RSD 312

$1.94 RSD 196

59.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RSD 90.3

$0.69 RSD 69.5

30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 RSD 1,801

$9.67 RSD 974

84.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 RSD 185

$1.92 RSD 194

-4.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

$30.5K RSD 3.1M

1.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

$28.3K RSD 2.9M

-4.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$210 RSD 21.1K

$208 RSD 21.0K

0.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.09 RSD 2,226

$20.00 RSD 2,015

10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.98 RSD 3,324

$35.49 RSD 3,577

-7.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 RSD 3,887

$36.28 RSD 3,657

6.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.97 RSD 2,114

$14.17 RSD 1,428

47.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 RSD 776

$6.20 RSD 625

24.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$449 RSD 45.3K

$335 RSD 33.8K

33.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

$7,325 RSD 738.3K

24.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 RSD 10.1K

$109 RSD 11.0K

-7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 RSD 4,274

$45.57 RSD 4,593

-6.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 RSD 11.4K

$124 RSD 12.5K

-8.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 RSD 11.9K

$138 RSD 13.9K

-14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 RSD 85.9K

$563 RSD 56.8K

51.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RSD 57.5K

$471 RSD 47.4K

21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

$1,075 RSD 108.4K

45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

$777 RSD 78.3K

31.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

$3,778 RSD 380.8K

38.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

$2,758 RSD 278.0K

14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

$1,069 RSD 107.8K

15.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

7.31

-23.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Belgrade versus $563 in Novi Sad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Belgrade, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Belgrade versus $50.0 in Novi Sad. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Belgrade vs $233 in Novi Sad – so Novi Sad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Belgrade vs Novi Sad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,517 in Belgrade, $1,384 in Novi Sad – roughly 10% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,275 per month in Belgrade and $2,076 in Novi Sad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novi Sad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Belgrade and $50.0 in Novi Sad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Novi Sad, where all-in costs run around $1,384, than in Belgrade at $1,517. In Novi Sad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novi Sad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Novi Sad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.