🙂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 Pazar21% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.72RSD 678
$4.66฿154
44.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.04RSD 1,919
$32.22฿1,065
-40.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.72RSD 778
$8.68฿287
-11.06%
Cappuccino
$1.75RSD 177
$2.90฿95.8
-39.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69RSD 170
$0.84฿27.89
101.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34RSD 136
$0.49฿16.16
173.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.02RSD 203
$2.48฿82.0
-18.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02RSD 204
$3.73฿123
-45.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48RSD 149
$1.89฿62.3
-21.69%
White Bread(500g)
$0.83RSD 83.3
$1.41฿46.54
-41.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.76RSD 278
$1.62฿53.6
70.37%
Eggs
$1.85RSD 187
$2.24฿74.1
-17.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.99RSD 1,007
$19.84฿656
-49.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.16RSD 722
$3.48฿115
105.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.23RSD 1,636
$11.37฿376
42.74%
Apples(1kg)
$1.22RSD 123
$2.90฿95.8
-57.93%
Banana(1kg)
$1.86RSD 187
$1.72฿57.0
8.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99RSD 200
$2.27฿75.1
-12.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.08RSD 310
$2.13฿70.4
44.60%
Potato(1kg)
$0.96RSD 96.9
$1.47฿48.72
-34.69%
Onion(1kg)
$0.70RSD 70.2
$1.42฿46.92
-50.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74RSD 75.0
$1.10฿36.25
-32.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69RSD 69.1
$0.60฿19.76
15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.85RSD 488
$4.31฿142
12.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.19RSD 1,027
$18.60฿615
-45.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91RSD 91.6
$1.80฿59.5
-49.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54RSD 155
$2.97฿98.0
-48.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.95RSD 96.0
$2.25฿74.2
-57.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.11RSD 2,027
$23.49฿776
-14.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17RSD 118
$3.10฿102
-62.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02RSD 103
$1.08฿35.56
-5.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.55RSD 1,769
$3.87฿128
353.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.95RSD 197
$1.43฿47.16
36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1KRSD 3.1M
$27.8K฿918.0K
12.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4KRSD 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)
$218RSD 22.0K
$105฿3,462
108.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.94RSD 2,716
$11.39฿376
136.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.33RSD 3,561
$17.54฿580
101.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.67RSD 3,091
$54.3฿1,795
-43.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.49RSD 453
$7.78฿257
-42.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$177RSD 17.8K
$576฿19.0K
-69.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KRSD 1.2M
$11.6K฿382.7K
-0.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111RSD 11.2K
$63.6฿2,103
74.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.35RSD 4,973
$29.10฿961
69.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.6RSD 8,827
$96.2฿3,179
-8.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162RSD 16.3K
$90.0฿2,974
79.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$264RSD 26.6K
$733฿24.2K
-64.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$192RSD 19.4K
$501฿16.5K
-61.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$378RSD 38.1K
$2,126฿70.2K
-82.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$311RSD 31.3K
$1,252฿41.4K
-75.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,809RSD 182.3K
$3,534฿116.8K
-48.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441RSD 145.2K
$2,622฿86.6K
-45.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novi Pazar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$726RSD 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.
Novi Pazar vs other spots: cost of living compared