Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novi Sad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novi Sad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,405 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,094 in Novi Sad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,782 in Novi Sad, rent included.

Medellin is about 28% cheaper than Novi Sad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Novi Sad is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.59 RSD 970

-37.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$48.50 RSD 4,905

-31.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.97 RSD 1,109

-34.09%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.26 RSD 229

-27.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.13 RSD 215

-48.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.71 RSD 173

-57.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.88 RSD 291

-39.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.64 RSD 368

-11.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.56 RSD 158

-32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.99 RSD 100

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.81 RSD 284

-53.02%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.56 RSD 259

-11.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.92 RSD 1,205

-63.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.79 RSD 687

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.37 RSD 1,251

-30.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.24 RSD 126

81.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.92 RSD 194

-44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.63 RSD 165

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.47 RSD 250

-42.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.99 RSD 101

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.92 RSD 93.3

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.76 RSD 77.2

17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.68 RSD 69.0

32.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.46 RSD 451

-49.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.79 RSD 788

41.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.84 RSD 84.9

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.15 RSD 218

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.01 RSD 102

-16.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$24.83 RSD 2,511

68.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.92 RSD 194

-26.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.65 RSD 65.7

192.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$9.76 RSD 987

-20.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.82 RSD 184

-44.51%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-43.36%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.6K RSD 2.9M

-7.28%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$207 RSD 20.9K

-59.53%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$19.65 RSD 1,987

-51.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.46 RSD 3,586

-32.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.41 RSD 3,683

-30.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$13.99 RSD 1,415

36.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.99 RSD 606

-31.55%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$346 RSD 35.0K

-9.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,231 RSD 731.2K

-17.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$107 RSD 10.9K

-45.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$46.50 RSD 4,702

-29.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$122 RSD 12.3K

-18.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$137 RSD 13.9K

-20.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$562 RSD 56.8K

-14.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$460 RSD 46.6K

-17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,085 RSD 109.7K

-22.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$788 RSD 79.7K

-8.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,691 RSD 373.2K

-23.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,697 RSD 272.7K

-54.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,046 RSD 105.8K

-48.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.31

83.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin 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 93% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Novi Sad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $231 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Novi Sad is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $49.00 in Novi Sad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,405 in Novi Sad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Novi Sad at $1,405. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novi Sad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medellin. 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.