Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,046 in Novi Pazar, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Novi Pazar
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Novi Pazar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Novi Pazar

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,046

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Novi Pazar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Novi Pazar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,046 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Novi Pazar $1,046

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,505 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Novi Pazar $1,505

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,965 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Novi Pazar $1,965

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Novi Pazar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Novi Pazar 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$6.85 RSD 719

-67.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$17.97 RSD 1,885

5.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$7.83 RSD 821

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.62 RSD 170

3.09%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.61 RSD 169

-60.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.29 RSD 135

-75.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.85 RSD 194

27.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.89 RSD 198

93.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.41 RSD 148

38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.75 RSD 78.5

92.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.56 RSD 268

-48.05%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.82 RSD 190

25.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$9.62 RSD 1,009

71.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$6.60 RSD 692

-57.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$15.36 RSD 1,611

-39.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.11 RSD 117

111.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.78 RSD 187

-45.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.90 RSD 199

-15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$3.00 RSD 314

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.87 RSD 91.7

47.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.70 RSD 73.1

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.81 RSD 84.8

-12.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.73 RSD 77.1

-32.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.58 RSD 480

-9.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.44 RSD 886

107.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.94 RSD 98.6

71.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.46 RSD 153

90.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.90 RSD 94.7

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$18.78 RSD 1,970

188.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$1.16 RSD 122

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.02 RSD 107

-48.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$17.31 RSD 1,815

-86.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.92 RSD 201

-24.48%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$30.2K RSD 3.2M

-30.28%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$23.7K RSD 2.5M

13.52%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$203 RSD 21.3K

-69.42%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$24.82 RSD 2,603

-50.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$33.43 RSD 3,506

-39.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$28.84 RSD 3,025

29.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.34 RSD 455

49.54%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$170 RSD 17.8K

334.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$11.4K RSD 1.2M

29.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$109 RSD 11.5K

-51.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$47.91 RSD 5,025

-48.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$85.9 RSD 9,012

6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$152 RSD 15.9K

-52.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$254 RSD 26.7K

89.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$192 RSD 20.1K

61.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$361 RSD 37.9K

178.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$291 RSD 30.5K

117.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,696 RSD 177.9K

39.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,422 RSD 149.1K

11.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$725 RSD 76.1K

-18.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.61

20.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Novi Pazar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Novi Pazar

$192 18.3% 38% $117

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Novi Pazar

$226 21.7% 3.4% $7.9

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Novi Pazar

$178 17% 63.5% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Novi Pazar

$262 25% 177% $167

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Novi Pazar

$122 11.7% 57.7% $45

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Novi Pazar

$29 2.7% 53.3% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Novi Pazar

$38 3.6% 25.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $254 in Novi Pazar. 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 23% higher in Novi Pazar. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Novi Pazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $226 – making Novi Pazar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇸 Novi Pazar

🕒 Local time

19:00 7:00 PM

13:00 1:00 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

71,462

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Serbian Dinar RSD din

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 RSD = 9.53 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 105 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.53 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.57 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Novi Pazar 7,670 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Novi Pazar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Chiang Mai vs Novi Pazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novi Pazar costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,569 in Novi Pazar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novi Pazar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $254 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $170 in Novi Pazar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Novi Pazar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,046 in Novi Pazar. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,046 in Novi Pazar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Novi Pazar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.