Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Novi Sad

For one person, living is cheaper in Novi Sad: $1,371 a month against $2,854 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Novi Sad
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Novi Sad Living Index

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Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,854

/mo nomad

Novi Sad

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,371

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubai and in Novi Sad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dubai and in Novi Sad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,854 in Dubai versus $1,371 in Novi Sad.

Dubai $2,854
Novi Sad $1,371

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,321 in Dubai versus $2,114 in Novi Sad.

Dubai $4,321
Novi Sad $2,114

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,788 in Dubai versus $2,856 in Novi Sad.

Dubai $5,788
Novi Sad $2,856

Living in Dubai is roughly 108% more expensive than in Novi Sad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 113% above, Novi Sad 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.04 AED 47.89

$9.93 RSD 1,035

31.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 AED 299

$49.70 RSD 5,177

63.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 AED 34.25

$12.00 RSD 1,250

-22.33%

Cappuccino

$5.97 AED 21.93

$2.61 RSD 272

128.74%

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

$1.63 AED 5.98

$2.32 RSD 242

-29.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 AED 2.99

$1.83 RSD 191

-55.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.65 AED 50.1

$2.91 RSD 303

369.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.38 AED 49.15

$3.78 RSD 393

253.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$1.40 RSD 146

29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 AED 5.78

$0.95 RSD 98.9

65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 AED 9.16

$2.68 RSD 279

-7.09%

Eggs

$3.28 AED 12.04

$2.54 RSD 265

29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 AED 46.53

$13.09 RSD 1,364

-3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 AED 35.80

$7.52 RSD 783

29.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 AED 48.40

$14.35 RSD 1,495

-8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 AED 9.57

$1.71 RSD 178

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 AED 7.09

$1.98 RSD 206

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 AED 7.05

$1.66 RSD 173

15.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 AED 5.00

$2.55 RSD 266

-46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.29

$1.01 RSD 105

15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$0.68 RSD 70.8

48.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 AED 5.56

$0.96 RSD 100

57.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 AED 2.29

$0.66 RSD 68.4

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 AED 21.50

$4.84 RSD 504

20.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 AED 59.3

$7.46 RSD 777

116.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 AED 9.74

$0.92 RSD 95.5

188.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 AED 10.82

$2.21 RSD 230

33.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 AED 6.03

$0.99 RSD 103

65.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 AED 270

$24.45 RSD 2,547

201.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 AED 11.66

$2.33 RSD 243

36.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 AED 2.63

$0.93 RSD 96.6

-23.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$10.35 RSD 1,078

-23.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 AED 3.64

$1.83 RSD 191

-45.90%

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

$27.4K AED 100.5K

$30.7K RSD 3.2M

-10.93%

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

$22.5K AED 82.8K

$26.3K RSD 2.7M

-14.25%

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

$250 AED 920

$223 RSD 23.2K

12.48%

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

$54.2 AED 199

$20.57 RSD 2,143

163.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.8 AED 337

$33.21 RSD 3,459

176.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 AED 362

$36.61 RSD 3,814

169.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.61 AED 156

$11.06 RSD 1,152

285.26%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 AED 58.9

$7.30 RSD 761

119.59%

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

$843 AED 3,098

$372 RSD 38.7K

126.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K AED 67.1K

$7,710 RSD 803.2K

136.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 AED 250

$119 RSD 12.4K

-42.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 AED 213

$43.40 RSD 4,521

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 AED 370

$137 RSD 14.2K

-26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 AED 371

$124 RSD 12.9K

-18.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 AED 8,741

$495 RSD 51.5K

381.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 AED 5,531

$405 RSD 42.2K

271.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,437 AED 16.3K

$955 RSD 99.5K

364.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 AED 11.1K

$753 RSD 78.5K

299.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,121 AED 26.2K

$3,527 RSD 367.4K

101.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,135 AED 15.2K

$2,586 RSD 269.4K

59.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,391 AED 12.5K

$1,240 RSD 129.2K

173.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

5.21

-12.86%

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

Last update for Dubai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dubai

$1.5K 52.5%

Novi Sad

$405 29.2% 73.1% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubai

$396 13.8%

Novi Sad

$276 19.9% 30.3% $120

Eating Out

Dubai

$309 10.8%

Novi Sad

$186 13.4% 39.9% $123

Groceries & Markets

Dubai

$293 10.2%

Novi Sad

$244 17.6% 16.6% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Dubai

$147 5.1%

Novi Sad

$190 13.7% 29.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Dubai

$131 4.6%

Novi Sad

$51 3.7% 60.8% $79

Getting Around

Dubai

$87 3%

Novi Sad

$35 2.6% 59.3% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,380 in Dubai and $495 in Novi Sad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 173% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Dubai vs $50.0 in Novi Sad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $244 per month, with Novi Sad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇪 Dubai

🇷🇸 Novi Sad

🕒 Local time

11:40 11:40 AM

09:40 9:40 AM

2 h behind Dubai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,790,000

260,438

💱 Currency

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

Serbian Dinar RSD din

📈 Exchange rate

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.243 EUR

1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇪 UAE Dirham (د.إ)

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.12 AED (1 AED = 0.243 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

USD to AED in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dubai Novi Sad 3,870 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Dubai
Novi Sad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dubai vs Novi Sad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novi Sad is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 173% higher in Dubai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,380 in Dubai versus $495 in Novi Sad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novi Sad runs roughly 201% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $843 in Dubai versus $372 in Novi Sad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,371 in Novi Sad versus $2,854 in Dubai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novi Sad but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Novi Sad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Novi Sad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dubai and Novi Sad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Novi Sad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.