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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,038 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,492 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,945 in Novi Pazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Novi Pazar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Novi Pazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Novi Pazar 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$6.82 RSD 698

-71.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.85 RSD 1,928

-2.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.66 RSD 784

-2.35%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.42 RSD 145

42.25%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.68 RSD 172

-49.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.29 RSD 132

-72.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.99 RSD 203

7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.02 RSD 207

77.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.17 RSD 120

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.81 RSD 82.7

93.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.06 RSD 313

-61.11%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.81 RSD 185

7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.78 RSD 1,000

65.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.73 RSD 791

-61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.09 RSD 1,339

-16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.15 RSD 118

135.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.88 RSD 192

-37.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.92 RSD 197

-11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.78 RSD 285

-42.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.04 RSD 106

32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.73 RSD 74.2

64.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.98 RSD 101

-31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.73 RSD 75.1

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.63 RSD 474

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.53 RSD 872

106.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.82 RSD 83.9

126.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.59 RSD 163

107.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.93 RSD 94.9

-5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$19.98 RSD 2,044

-3.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.06 RSD 108

28.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.89 RSD 91.5

50.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.97 RSD 713

17.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.89 RSD 193

-35.45%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$30.3K RSD 3.1M

-29.42%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.6K RSD 2.7M

-15.18%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$203 RSD 20.8K

-65.17%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$22.70 RSD 2,323

-38.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$32.30 RSD 3,304

-45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$29.82 RSD 3,051

41.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$16.47 RSD 1,685

-58.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.67 RSD 784

-22.82%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$180 RSD 18.4K

71.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$5,172 RSD 529.1K

187.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$102 RSD 10.4K

-45.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$41.81 RSD 4,277

-37.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$90.0 RSD 9,211

-7.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$119 RSD 12.1K

-40.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$265 RSD 27.1K

63.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$200 RSD 20.4K

19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$375 RSD 38.3K

119.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$308 RSD 31.6K

66.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,734 RSD 177.4K

10.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,417 RSD 145.0K

3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$717 RSD 73.4K

-19.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Novi Pazar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $265 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 24% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Novi Pazar. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $227 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 21% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,558 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $180 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,038 in Novi Pazar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,038 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.