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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,395 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,107 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,819 in Novi Sad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 39% cheaper than Novi Sad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Novi Sad is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$9.73 RSD 973

-79.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$50.1 RSD 5,009

-63.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$10.91 RSD 1,091

-31.26%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.29 RSD 229

-15.72%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.11 RSD 211

-63.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.71 RSD 171

-81.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$3.03 RSD 303

-29.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$3.70 RSD 370

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.62 RSD 162

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.03 RSD 103

51.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.70 RSD 270

-56.30%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.60 RSD 260

-23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$12.18 RSD 1,218

31.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.80 RSD 679

-53.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$12.45 RSD 1,244

-12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.23 RSD 123

113.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.90 RSD 190

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.57 RSD 157

5.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.56 RSD 256

-39.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.00 RSD 99.7

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.93 RSD 93.4

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.80 RSD 79.7

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.69 RSD 69.4

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$4.42 RSD 442

2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$7.80 RSD 780

134.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.92 RSD 91.7

95.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.18 RSD 218

45.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.95 RSD 94.6

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$25.15 RSD 2,514

-24.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.88 RSD 188

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.63 RSD 62.7

107.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$9.27 RSD 926

-12.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.86 RSD 186

-31.18%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

-29.39%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$28.9K RSD 2.9M

-24.89%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$206 RSD 20.6K

-66.44%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$20.30 RSD 2,029

-31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$36.30 RSD 3,628

-50.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$35.46 RSD 3,545

19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$14.12 RSD 1,411

-52.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.13 RSD 612

-3.43%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$338 RSD 33.8K

-11.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$7,209 RSD 720.6K

105.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$110 RSD 11.0K

-48.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$46.09 RSD 4,607

-41.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$122 RSD 12.2K

-30.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$140 RSD 14.0K

-48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$549 RSD 54.8K

-20.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$469 RSD 46.8K

-48.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,084 RSD 108.3K

-26.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$782 RSD 78.2K

-36.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$3,665 RSD 366.3K

-45.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$2,662 RSD 266.1K

-42.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$1,054 RSD 105.4K

-40.41%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $549 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 68% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $50 in Novi Sad. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $233 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 65% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,093 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $338 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 $845, than in Novi Sad at $1,395. 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 $845 versus $1,395 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.