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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,027 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,507 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,988 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Novi Pazar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Novi Pazar 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.05 RSD 709

-72.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$18.58 RSD 1,868

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.96 RSD 801

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.43 RSD 144

36.36%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.70 RSD 171

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.29 RSD 130

-72.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.00 RSD 201

6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.99 RSD 200

87.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.20 RSD 121

42.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.76 RSD 76.4

114.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.92 RSD 294

-60.96%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.80 RSD 181

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.03 RSD 1,009

61.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.65 RSD 770

-59.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.88 RSD 1,296

-15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.21 RSD 122

127.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.86 RSD 187

-34.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.03 RSD 204

-20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.78 RSD 280

-42.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.08 RSD 108

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.75 RSD 75.4

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.91 RSD 91.8

-27.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.79 RSD 79.1

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.41 RSD 444

6.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.94 RSD 1,000

87.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.84 RSD 84.4

114.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.53 RSD 153

111.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.90 RSD 90.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$19.67 RSD 1,978

-2.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.11 RSD 112

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.91 RSD 91.9

41.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.08 RSD 712

10.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.83 RSD 184

-30.60%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$30.5K RSD 3.1M

-30.25%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

-17.10%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$202 RSD 20.3K

-65.85%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$22.49 RSD 2,262

-37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$32.93 RSD 3,312

-45.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$29.17 RSD 2,933

40.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.38 RSD 1,648

-57.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.81 RSD 785

-24.20%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$178 RSD 17.9K

68.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,125 RSD 515.5K

191.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$99.8 RSD 10.0K

-45.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.67 RSD 4,291

-37.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$90.5 RSD 9,097

-6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$119 RSD 12.0K

-40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$260 RSD 26.1K

64.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$196 RSD 19.8K

20.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$380 RSD 38.2K

111.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$305 RSD 30.7K

69.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,818 RSD 182.9K

8.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,447 RSD 145.5K

1.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$742 RSD 74.6K

-16.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

-10.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Novi Pazar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $260 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Novi Pazar. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $230 in Novi Pazar – so Novi Pazar 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

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

Novi Pazar costs about 18% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,540 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $178 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 7% cheaper in Novi Pazar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,027 in Novi Pazar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,027 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.