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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,392 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,077 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,763 in Novi Sad, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Novi Sad is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$9.58 RSD 984

-78.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$48.59 RSD 4,988

-61.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$11.04 RSD 1,133

-28.80%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.38 RSD 244

-14.71%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.18 RSD 224

-63.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$1.69 RSD 174

-79.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.90 RSD 298

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.64 RSD 374

0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.54 RSD 158

12.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.03 RSD 106

52.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.69 RSD 277

-55.39%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.58 RSD 265

-23.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.94 RSD 1,225

35.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.05 RSD 724

-56.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$12.77 RSD 1,311

-15.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.24 RSD 127

123.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.90 RSD 195

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.64 RSD 169

4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.54 RSD 261

-37.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.93 RSD 95.0

49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.88 RSD 90.1

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.80 RSD 82.3

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.69 RSD 70.5

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.33 RSD 444

7.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$7.57 RSD 777

134.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$0.86 RSD 88.3

108.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.22 RSD 227

50.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$1.04 RSD 106

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$25.11 RSD 2,577

-25.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$1.98 RSD 203

-28.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.67 RSD 69.0

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$9.30 RSD 955

-12.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.82 RSD 187

-32.42%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$31.0K RSD 3.2M

-30.76%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$28.9K RSD 3.0M

-24.54%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$208 RSD 21.3K

-65.63%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$19.88 RSD 2,041

-29.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$36.00 RSD 3,695

-50.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$35.49 RSD 3,643

15.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$14.00 RSD 1,437

-50.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.24 RSD 640

-8.33%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$339 RSD 34.8K

-9.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$7,130 RSD 731.8K

105.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$107 RSD 11.0K

-48.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$45.86 RSD 4,707

-43.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$123 RSD 12.6K

-30.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$135 RSD 13.9K

-47.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$567 RSD 58.2K

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$457 RSD 46.9K

-46.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,096 RSD 112.5K

-27.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$790 RSD 81.1K

-35.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$3,667 RSD 376.4K

-47.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$2,713 RSD 278.5K

-46.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,063 RSD 109.1K

-44.00%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $567 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 79% 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 – $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 63% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,088 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $339 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 $852, than in Novi Sad at $1,392. 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 $852 versus $1,392 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.