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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,038 per month in Novi Pazar vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Novi Pazar vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,945 per month in Novi Pazar vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Pazar costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Novi Pazar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Novi Pazar 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 RSD 698

$1.96 ฿65.9

247.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.85 RSD 1,928

$18.35 ฿617

2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 RSD 784

$7.48 ฿252

2.41%

Cappuccino

$1.42 RSD 145

$2.02 ฿67.8

-29.70%

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

$1.68 RSD 172

$0.85 ฿28.52

97.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RSD 132

$0.36 ฿11.97

258.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 RSD 203

$2.14 ฿71.9

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RSD 207

$3.59 ฿121

-43.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 RSD 120

$1.65 ฿55.5

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 RSD 82.7

$1.57 ฿52.7

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 RSD 313

$1.19 ฿40.05

157.14%

Eggs

$1.81 RSD 185

$1.94 ฿65.1

-6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 RSD 1,000

$16.19 ฿545

-39.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 RSD 791

$2.99 ฿101

158.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 RSD 1,339

$10.94 ฿368

19.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RSD 118

$2.71 ฿91.2

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 RSD 192

$1.17 ฿39.27

60.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 RSD 197

$1.69 ฿56.8

13.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RSD 285

$1.60 ฿54.0

73.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RSD 106

$1.38 ฿46.56

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RSD 74.2

$1.20 ฿40.47

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RSD 101

$0.67 ฿22.51

46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RSD 75.1

$0.56 ฿18.74

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 RSD 474

$4.64 ฿156

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 RSD 872

$17.62 ฿593

-51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RSD 83.9

$1.86 ฿62.6

-55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RSD 163

$3.30 ฿111

-51.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 RSD 94.9

$0.88 ฿29.70

5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.98 RSD 2,044

$19.34 ฿651

3.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 RSD 108

$1.36 ฿45.92

-22.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RSD 91.5

$1.34 ฿45.00

-33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 RSD 713

$8.21 ฿276

-15.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 RSD 193

$1.22 ฿41.20

54.92%

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

$30.3K RSD 3.1M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

41.68%

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

$26.6K RSD 2.7M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

17.90%

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

$203 RSD 20.8K

$70.7 ฿2,378

187.12%

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

$22.70 RSD 2,323

$14.04 ฿472

61.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 RSD 3,304

$17.49 ฿589

84.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 RSD 3,051

$42.15 ฿1,418

-29.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.47 RSD 1,685

$6.88 ฿231

139.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 RSD 784

$5.92 ฿199

29.56%

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

$180 RSD 18.4K

$309 ฿10.4K

-41.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,172 RSD 529.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-65.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 RSD 10.4K

$55.8 ฿1,876

82.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 RSD 4,277

$26.11 ฿879

60.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 RSD 9,211

$83.0 ฿2,793

8.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 RSD 12.1K

$70.5 ฿2,371

68.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 RSD 27.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

-38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 RSD 20.4K

$239 ฿8,040

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 RSD 38.3K

$822 ฿27.7K

-54.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 RSD 31.6K

$512 ฿17.2K

-39.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,734 RSD 177.4K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-9.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,417 RSD 145.0K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-3.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$717 RSD 73.4K

$579 ฿19.5K

23.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

11.80%

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

Last update for Novi Pazar: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Novi Pazar versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 24% higher in Novi Pazar, 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 Novi Pazar versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Novi Pazar vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Novi Pazar 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

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

Novi Pazar costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,558 per month in Novi Pazar and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $180 per month in Novi Pazar and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Novi Pazar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,038 in Novi Pazar and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,038 in Novi Pazar. 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 Pazar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.