Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Sad and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,393 in Novi Sad, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Novi Sad
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Novi Sad Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Novi Sad

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,393

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novi Sad and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Novi Sad and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Novi Sad vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Sad $1,393
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,154 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Sad $2,154
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,915 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Sad $2,915
Chiang Mai $1,979

Novi Sad costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Novi Sad sits 2% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 RSD 1,060

$2.24 ฿75.7

351.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 RSD 5,262

$19.00 ฿642

164.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 RSD 1,265

$5.55 ฿188

117.30%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RSD 278

$1.67 ฿56.6

58.68%

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

$2.37 RSD 248

$0.64 ฿21.56

270.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RSD 191

$0.31 ฿10.32

487.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 RSD 307

$2.36 ฿79.6

24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 RSD 390

$3.66 ฿124

1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RSD 146

$1.95 ฿65.8

-28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 RSD 97.7

$1.44 ฿48.51

-35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 RSD 278

$1.33 ฿45.07

99.25%

Eggs

$2.67 RSD 281

$2.28 ฿77.1

17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 RSD 1,412

$16.45 ฿556

-18.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 RSD 757

$2.78 ฿94.0

159.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 RSD 1,475

$9.31 ฿314

51.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 184

$2.35 ฿79.5

-25.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 199

$0.97 ฿32.82

95.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RSD 174

$1.60 ฿53.9

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RSD 266

$1.50 ฿50.7

69.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RSD 104

$1.28 ฿43.15

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RSD 72.6

$1.10 ฿37.22

-37.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 RSD 99.7

$0.71 ฿23.84

33.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RSD 71.6

$0.49 ฿16.38

38.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 RSD 492

$4.14 ฿140

13.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RSD 817

$17.52 ฿592

-55.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 91.1

$1.61 ฿54.5

-45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RSD 242

$2.78 ฿94.0

-17.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 RSD 98.5

$0.87 ฿29.33

8.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.22 RSD 2,540

$54.1 ฿1,827

-55.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 RSD 242

$1.16 ฿39.08

99.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RSD 96.3

$0.53 ฿17.82

73.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 RSD 1,093

$2.42 ฿81.8

330.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 190

$1.45 ฿48.93

24.83%

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

$30.1K RSD 3.2M

$21.1K ฿711.2K

43.03%

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

$23.8K RSD 2.5M

$26.9K ฿909.8K

-11.84%

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

$224 RSD 23.5K

$62.2 ฿2,100

260.74%

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

$20.29 RSD 2,128

$12.17 ฿411

66.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.84 RSD 3,549

$20.12 ฿680

68.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 RSD 3,668

$37.31 ฿1,260

-6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.12 RSD 1,166

$3.77 ฿127

194.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 RSD 722

$6.49 ฿219

6.01%

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

$364 RSD 38.2K

$736 ฿24.9K

-50.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,540 RSD 790.7K

$14.8K ฿498.6K

-48.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 RSD 12.3K

$53.4 ฿1,802

119.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 RSD 4,653

$24.64 ฿832

80.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 RSD 14.2K

$91.5 ฿3,089

47.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 RSD 13.0K

$71.9 ฿2,429

72.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 RSD 53.3K

$482 ฿16.3K

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 RSD 43.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 RSD 108.4K

$1,006 ฿34.0K

2.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 RSD 86.4K

$633 ฿21.4K

30.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,595 RSD 377.0K

$2,363 ฿79.8K

52.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,621 RSD 274.9K

$1,589 ฿53.7K

64.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,230 RSD 129.0K

$590 ฿19.9K

108.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.17

5.57

-7.18%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Novi Sad

$411 29.5%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 24.8% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novi Sad

$278 20%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 66.1% $184

Groceries & Markets

Novi Sad

$244 17.5%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 3.8% $9.2

Clothing & Footwear

Novi Sad

$189 13.6%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 42.6% $81

Eating Out

Novi Sad

$188 13.5%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 58.7% $110

Sport & Entertainment

Novi Sad

$49 3.5%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 3.2% $1.6

Getting Around

Novi Sad

$35 2.5%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 76% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Novi Sad versus $482 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 in Novi Sad are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Novi Sad versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇸 Novi Sad

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:12 4:12 AM

10:12 10:12 AM

6 h ahead of Novi Sad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

260,438

127,240

💱 Currency

Serbian Dinar RSD din

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 RSD = 9.53 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.55 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇸 Serbian Dinar (din)

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 105 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.53 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.55 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.65 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to RSD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Novi Sad Chiang Mai 7,700 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Novi Sad
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 49% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $2,090 per month in Novi Sad and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $509 in Novi Sad and $482 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $364 per month in Novi Sad and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Novi Sad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,393 in Novi Sad and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,393 in Novi Sad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.