Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Sad and Al Hidd Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Sad and Al Hidd

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,486 in Novi Sad versus $1,811 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Novi Sad versus $2,131 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,987 in Novi Sad versus $2,452 in Al Hidd.

Living in Novi Sad costs roughly 18% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Novi Sad 8% above, Al Hidd 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 RSD 1,197

$6.81 BHD 2.57

75.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 RSD 5,244

$40.13 BHD 15.13

30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 RSD 1,267

$7.52 BHD 2.83

68.09%

Cappuccino

$2.76 RSD 276

$3.73 BHD 1.41

-26.01%

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

$2.44 RSD 244

$0.84 BHD 0.32

190.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 RSD 195

$0.12 BHD 0.05

1525.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 RSD 297

$6.61 BHD 2.49

-55.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RSD 383

$9.79 BHD 3.69

-60.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 RSD 147

$1.46 BHD 0.55

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 RSD 103

$1.10 BHD 0.41

-7.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 RSD 294

$2.30 BHD 0.87

27.83%

Eggs

$2.66 RSD 266

$2.25 BHD 0.85

18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 RSD 1,378

$8.53 BHD 3.22

61.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 RSD 743

$5.39 BHD 2.03

37.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 RSD 1,481

$5.32 BHD 2.00

177.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 RSD 170

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 RSD 192

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RSD 171

$1.93 BHD 0.73

-11.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 RSD 263

$1.41 BHD 0.53

85.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 RSD 106

$1.05 BHD 0.40

0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 RSD 66.4

$1.36 BHD 0.51

-51.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RSD 98.6

$1.49 BHD 0.56

-34.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RSD 72.5

$0.84 BHD 0.32

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 RSD 476

$5.38 BHD 2.03

-11.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 RSD 803

$18.83 BHD 7.10

-57.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RSD 93.0

$3.52 BHD 1.33

-73.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 RSD 238

$2.64 BHD 0.99

-10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RSD 96.9

$1.62 BHD 0.61

-40.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.61 RSD 2,567

$52.7 BHD 19.87

-51.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 RSD 234

$5.45 BHD 2.05

-57.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RSD 88.8

$3.43 BHD 1.29

-74.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 RSD 1,083

$15.89 BHD 5.99

-32.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RSD 190

$0.60 BHD 0.22

216.67%

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

$31.8K RSD 3.2M

$20.0K BHD 7,550

58.79%

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

$26.6K RSD 2.7M

$20.5K BHD 7,718

29.88%

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

$240 RSD 24.1K

$152 BHD 57.4

57.75%

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

$21.43 RSD 2,147

$24.35 BHD 9.18

-11.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 RSD 3,501

$35.19 BHD 13.27

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.11 RSD 3,819

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.40 RSD 1,142

$53.7 BHD 20.22

-78.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 RSD 776

$10.45 BHD 3.94

-25.93%

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

$382 RSD 38.3K

$489 BHD 184

-21.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,841 RSD 785.8K

$11.1K BHD 4,189

-29.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 RSD 12.3K

$51.3 BHD 19.35

139.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.15 RSD 4,625

$58.0 BHD 21.88

-20.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 RSD 13.8K

$86.8 BHD 32.72

58.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 RSD 12.9K

$90.7 BHD 34.18

42.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 RSD 52.3K

$660 BHD 249

-21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 RSD 42.1K

$937 BHD 353

-55.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 RSD 100.3K

$800 BHD 301

25.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 RSD 77.8K

$608 BHD 229

27.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RSD 378.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,710 RSD 271.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 RSD 121.9K

$1,944 BHD 733

-37.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.23

6.21

-15.78%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: August 15, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $521 in Novi Sad and $660 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 60% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Novi Sad vs $40.00 in Al Hidd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $235 per month, with Al Hidd 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 Sad vs Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novi Sad is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Al Hidd. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $521 in Novi Sad versus $660 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novi Sad runs roughly 106% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $382 in Novi Sad versus $489 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,486 in Novi Sad versus $1,811 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novi Sad but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Novi Sad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Novi Sad and Al Hidd are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Novi Sad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.