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 $1,091 per month in Novi Pazar vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,569 per month in Novi Pazar vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,047 per month in Novi Pazar vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Pazar costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Novi Pazar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Novi Pazar 21% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 RSD 678

$2.10 ฿69.3

220.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.04 RSD 1,919

$19.84 ฿656

-4.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 RSD 778

$5.79 ฿191

33.33%

Cappuccino

$1.75 RSD 177

$1.83 ฿60.4

-4.37%

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

$1.69 RSD 170

$0.78 ฿25.61

116.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RSD 136

$0.31 ฿10.37

332.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 RSD 203

$2.34 ฿77.2

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RSD 204

$3.70 ฿122

-45.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RSD 149

$2.03 ฿67.1

-27.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 RSD 83.3

$1.60 ฿52.7

-48.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 RSD 278

$1.42 ฿46.75

94.37%

Eggs

$1.85 RSD 187

$2.18 ฿71.9

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 RSD 1,007

$15.91 ฿526

-37.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RSD 722

$3.07 ฿102

133.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.23 RSD 1,636

$9.87 ฿326

64.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RSD 123

$2.63 ฿86.8

-53.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 RSD 187

$1.10 ฿36.19

69.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 RSD 200

$1.63 ฿53.8

22.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 RSD 310

$1.53 ฿50.6

101.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RSD 96.9

$1.24 ฿41.13

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 RSD 70.2

$1.13 ฿37.37

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 RSD 75.0

$0.74 ฿24.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 69.1

$0.50 ฿16.48

38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 RSD 488

$4.28 ฿141

13.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 RSD 1,027

$17.97 ฿594

-43.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RSD 91.6

$1.70 ฿56.1

-46.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 RSD 155

$2.90 ฿95.7

-46.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RSD 96.0

$0.94 ฿31.13

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.11 RSD 2,027

$55.3 ฿1,827

-63.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 RSD 118

$1.23 ฿40.76

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RSD 103

$0.53 ฿17.66

92.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 RSD 1,769

$2.40 ฿79.3

631.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 RSD 197

$1.44 ฿47.55

35.42%

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

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

46.91%

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

$25.4K RSD 2.6M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-6.90%

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

$218 RSD 22.0K

$64.9 ฿2,145

235.88%

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

$26.94 RSD 2,716

$13.35 ฿441

101.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.33 RSD 3,561

$20.83 ฿688

69.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.67 RSD 3,091

$40.42 ฿1,336

-24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 RSD 453

$6.71 ฿222

-33.08%

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

$177 RSD 17.8K

$787 ฿26.0K

-77.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-23.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 RSD 11.2K

$56.2 ฿1,858

97.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.35 RSD 4,973

$24.95 ฿824

97.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 RSD 8,827

$92.7 ฿3,063

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 RSD 16.3K

$75.1 ฿2,482

115.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 RSD 26.6K

$484 ฿16.0K

-45.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 RSD 19.4K

$287 ฿9,491

-33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 RSD 38.1K

$910 ฿30.1K

-58.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 RSD 31.3K

$531 ฿17.5K

-41.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 RSD 182.3K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-8.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 RSD 145.2K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-0.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 RSD 73.2K

$605 ฿20.0K

19.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

5.57

-16.70%

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

Last update for Novi Pazar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Novi Pazar versus $484 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 20% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $242 – making Novi Pazar 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

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

Novi Pazar costs about 15% 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 $1,637 per month in Novi Pazar and $1,426 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 $177 per month in Novi Pazar and $787 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 1% cheaper in Novi Pazar – 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 $950, than in Novi Pazar at $1,091. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novi Pazar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,091 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.