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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,395 per month in Novi Sad vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,107 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,819 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Sad costs about 65% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Novi Sad sits 4% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.73 RSD 973

$1.95 ฿62.8

398.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 RSD 5,009

$18.43 ฿594

171.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 RSD 1,091

$7.50 ฿241

45.47%

Cappuccino

$2.29 RSD 229

$1.93 ฿62.3

18.65%

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

$2.11 RSD 211

$0.78 ฿25.08

170.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RSD 171

$0.32 ฿10.42

434.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 RSD 303

$2.15 ฿69.2

40.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 RSD 370

$3.71 ฿120

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RSD 162

$1.71 ฿55.2

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RSD 103

$1.56 ฿50.3

-33.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 RSD 270

$1.18 ฿38.06

128.81%

Eggs

$2.60 RSD 260

$1.98 ฿63.9

31.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 RSD 1,218

$16.04 ฿517

-24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 RSD 679

$3.17 ฿102

114.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 RSD 1,244

$10.94 ฿353

13.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RSD 123

$2.63 ฿84.7

-53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 190

$1.17 ฿37.61

62.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RSD 157

$1.65 ฿53.0

-4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 RSD 256

$1.54 ฿49.51

66.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RSD 99.7

$1.38 ฿44.34

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RSD 93.4

$1.17 ฿37.54

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RSD 79.7

$0.66 ฿21.25

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 69.4

$0.51 ฿16.55

35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 RSD 442

$4.52 ฿146

-2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 RSD 780

$18.32 ฿590

-57.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RSD 91.7

$1.80 ฿57.9

-48.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 RSD 218

$3.18 ฿102

-31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RSD 94.6

$0.90 ฿28.97

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.15 RSD 2,514

$19.00 ฿612

32.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 RSD 188

$1.41 ฿45.50

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 RSD 62.7

$1.31 ฿42.15

-51.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 RSD 926

$8.09 ฿261

14.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 RSD 186

$1.28 ฿41.08

45.31%

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

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

41.62%

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

$28.9K RSD 2.9M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

33.14%

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

$206 RSD 20.6K

$69.2 ฿2,230

197.96%

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

$20.30 RSD 2,029

$13.97 ฿450

45.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 RSD 3,628

$17.95 ฿578

102.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.46 RSD 3,545

$42.31 ฿1,363

-16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.12 RSD 1,411

$6.66 ฿214

112.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 RSD 612

$5.92 ฿191

3.55%

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

$338 RSD 33.8K

$299 ฿9,640

13.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,209 RSD 720.6K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-51.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 RSD 11.0K

$56.2 ฿1,810

96.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 RSD 4,607

$26.94 ฿868

71.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 RSD 12.2K

$84.9 ฿2,735

43.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 RSD 14.0K

$71.8 ฿2,314

94.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 RSD 54.8K

$435 ฿14.0K

26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 RSD 46.8K

$240 ฿7,727

95.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 RSD 108.3K

$798 ฿25.7K

35.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 RSD 78.2K

$498 ฿16.1K

56.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,665 RSD 366.3K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

83.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 RSD 266.1K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

73.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,054 RSD 105.4K

$628 ฿20.2K

67.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

46.20%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $549 in Novi Sad versus $435 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 68% higher in Novi Sad, 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 $50 in Novi Sad versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Novi Sad vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Novi Sad 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 Sad vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novi Sad costs about 65% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,093 per month in Novi Sad and $1,267 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 $338 per month in Novi Sad and $299 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 5% cheaper in Novi Sad – 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 $845, than in Novi Sad at $1,395. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novi Sad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,395 in Novi Sad. 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 Sad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.