Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Pazar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Pazar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,091 in Novi Pazar versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,569 in Novi Pazar versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,047 in Novi Pazar versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Novi Pazar costs roughly 14% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novi Pazar 21% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.72 RSD 678
$4.66 ฿154
44.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.04 RSD 1,919
$32.22 ฿1,065
-40.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.72 RSD 778
$8.68 ฿287
-11.06%
Cappuccino
$1.75 RSD 177
$2.90 ฿95.8
-39.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 RSD 170
$0.84 ฿27.89
101.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 RSD 136
$0.49 ฿16.16
173.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 RSD 203
$2.48 ฿82.0
-18.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 RSD 204
$3.73 ฿123
-45.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 RSD 149
$1.89 ฿62.3
-21.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.83 RSD 83.3
$1.41 ฿46.54
-41.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.76 RSD 278
$1.62 ฿53.6
70.37%
Eggs
$1.85 RSD 187
$2.24 ฿74.1
-17.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 RSD 1,007
$19.84 ฿656
-49.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.16 RSD 722
$3.48 ฿115
105.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.23 RSD 1,636
$11.37 ฿376
42.74%
Apples (1kg)
$1.22 RSD 123
$2.90 ฿95.8
-57.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 RSD 187
$1.72 ฿57.0
8.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 RSD 200
$2.27 ฿75.1
-12.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 RSD 310
$2.13 ฿70.4
44.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 RSD 96.9
$1.47 ฿48.72
-34.69%
Onion (1kg)
$0.70 RSD 70.2
$1.42 ฿46.92
-50.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 RSD 75.0
$1.10 ฿36.25
-32.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 RSD 69.1
$0.60 ฿19.76
15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.85 RSD 488
$4.31 ฿142
12.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 RSD 1,027
$18.60 ฿615
-45.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 RSD 91.6
$1.80 ฿59.5
-49.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 RSD 155
$2.97 ฿98.0
-48.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.95 RSD 96.0
$2.25 ฿74.2
-57.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.11 RSD 2,027
$23.49 ฿776
-14.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 RSD 118
$3.10 ฿102
-62.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 RSD 103
$1.08 ฿35.56
-5.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.55 RSD 1,769
$3.87 ฿128
353.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 RSD 197
$1.43 ฿47.16
36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K RSD 3.1M
$27.8K ฿918.0K
12.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K RSD 2.6M
$27.0K ฿891.5K
-5.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 RSD 22.0K
$105 ฿3,462
108.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.94 RSD 2,716
$11.39 ฿376
136.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.33 RSD 3,561
$17.54 ฿580
101.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.67 RSD 3,091
$54.3 ฿1,795
-43.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44 ฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.49 RSD 453
$7.78 ฿257
-42.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$177 RSD 17.8K
$576 ฿19.0K
-69.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K RSD 1.2M
$11.6K ฿382.7K
-0.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 RSD 11.2K
$63.6 ฿2,103
74.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.35 RSD 4,973
$29.10 ฿961
69.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.6 RSD 8,827
$96.2 ฿3,179
-8.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 RSD 16.3K
$90.0 ฿2,974
79.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 RSD 26.6K
$733 ฿24.2K
-64.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 RSD 19.4K
$501 ฿16.5K
-61.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$378 RSD 38.1K
$2,126 ฿70.2K
-82.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$311 RSD 31.3K
$1,252 ฿41.4K
-75.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,809 RSD 182.3K
$3,534 ฿116.8K
-48.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,441 RSD 145.2K
$2,622 ฿86.6K
-45.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 RSD 73.2K
$508 ฿16.8K
43.00%
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 Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $264 in Novi Pazar and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Pazar pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Novi Pazar vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $275 per month, with Novi Pazar cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Novi Pazar and in Phuket?
Novi Pazar and Phuket differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,091 vs $1,265 including rent). Novi Pazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Novi Pazar or Phuket?
Average pay runs 43% higher in Novi Pazar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Novi Pazar and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $264 in Novi Pazar versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Novi Pazar – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,091 in Novi Pazar versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novi Pazar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Novi Pazar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Novi Pazar and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Novi Pazar or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Novi Pazar and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Novi Pazar or Phuket?
Expats usually find Novi Pazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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