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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,405 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,094 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,782 in Novi Sad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 38% cheaper than Novi Sad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Novi Sad is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.9

$9.59 RSD 973

-79.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿618

$48.50 RSD 4,920

-61.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$10.97 RSD 1,113

-29.35%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.26 RSD 230

-15.04%

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

$0.79 ฿26.03

$2.13 RSD 216

-62.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.72

$1.71 RSD 174

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.8

$2.88 RSD 292

-23.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.64 RSD 369

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.3

$1.56 RSD 158

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$0.99 RSD 101

64.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.22

$2.81 RSD 285

-57.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.7

$2.56 RSD 259

-21.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿525

$11.92 RSD 1,209

34.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$6.79 RSD 689

-55.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$12.37 RSD 1,255

-12.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$1.24 RSD 126

122.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.77

$1.92 RSD 195

-38.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.63 RSD 166

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$2.47 RSD 250

-38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.52

$0.99 RSD 101

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.19

$0.92 RSD 93.6

29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.08

$0.76 RSD 77.5

-7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.30

$0.68 RSD 69.2

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$4.46 RSD 452

2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

$7.79 RSD 790

112.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$0.84 RSD 85.2

117.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.15 RSD 219

48.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

$1.01 RSD 102

-12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

$24.83 RSD 2,519

-24.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.57

$1.92 RSD 195

-29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

$0.65 RSD 65.9

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$9.76 RSD 990

-19.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.29

$1.82 RSD 185

-32.42%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-30.33%

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

$22.5K ฿741.1K

$28.6K RSD 2.9M

-21.10%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

$207 RSD 21.0K

-65.89%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$19.65 RSD 1,994

-30.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$35.46 RSD 3,597

-50.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

$36.41 RSD 3,694

13.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$13.99 RSD 1,419

-50.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$5.99 RSD 608

-3.67%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$346 RSD 35.1K

-11.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$7,231 RSD 733.5K

102.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,834

$107 RSD 10.9K

-48.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿861

$46.50 RSD 4,717

-43.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,819

$122 RSD 12.4K

-29.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,375

$137 RSD 13.9K

-47.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$562 RSD 57.0K

-23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,845

$460 RSD 46.7K

-48.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$1,085 RSD 110.0K

-24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$788 RSD 80.0K

-35.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.2K

$3,691 RSD 374.4K

-46.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.8K

$2,697 RSD 273.6K

-44.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.3K

$1,046 RSD 106.1K

-40.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

-31.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $562 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 69% higher in Novi Sad, 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 $49.00 in Novi Sad. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $231 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

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

Novi Sad costs about 62% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,108 in Novi Sad. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $346 in Novi Sad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Novi Sad – 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 $869, than in Novi Sad at $1,405. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novi Sad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,405 in Novi Sad. 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 Sad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.