Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,091 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,569 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,047 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Novi Pazar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Novi Pazar 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.72 RSD 678

-68.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$19.04 RSD 1,919

4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.72 RSD 778

-25.00%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.75 RSD 177

4.57%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.69 RSD 170

-53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.34 RSD 136

-76.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.02 RSD 203

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.02 RSD 204

83.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.48 RSD 149

37.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.83 RSD 83.3

92.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.76 RSD 278

-48.55%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.85 RSD 187

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.99 RSD 1,007

59.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$7.16 RSD 722

-57.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$16.23 RSD 1,636

-39.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.22 RSD 123

115.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.86 RSD 187

-40.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.99 RSD 200

-18.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.08 RSD 310

-50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.96 RSD 96.9

29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.70 RSD 70.2

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.74 RSD 75.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.69 RSD 69.1

-27.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.85 RSD 488

-11.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.19 RSD 1,027

76.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.91 RSD 91.6

86.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.54 RSD 155

88.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.95 RSD 96.0

-1.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$20.11 RSD 2,027

174.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.17 RSD 118

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.02 RSD 103

-48.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$17.55 RSD 1,769

-86.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.95 RSD 197

-26.15%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

-31.93%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$25.4K RSD 2.6M

7.42%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$218 RSD 22.0K

-70.23%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$26.94 RSD 2,716

-50.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$35.33 RSD 3,561

-41.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$30.67 RSD 3,091

31.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.49 RSD 453

49.44%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$177 RSD 17.8K

345.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

31.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$111 RSD 11.2K

-49.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$49.35 RSD 4,973

-49.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$87.6 RSD 8,827

5.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$162 RSD 16.3K

-53.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$264 RSD 26.6K

83.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$192 RSD 19.4K

49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$378 RSD 38.1K

140.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$311 RSD 31.3K

70.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,809 RSD 182.3K

9.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,441 RSD 145.2K

0.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$726 RSD 73.2K

-16.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.64

20.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Novi Pazar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $264 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 20% higher in Novi Pazar, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Novi Pazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $240 – making Novi Pazar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 15% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,637 in Novi Pazar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $177 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 1% cheaper in Novi Pazar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Novi Pazar at $1,091. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novi Pazar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,091 in Novi Pazar. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.