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 $1,392 per month in Novi Sad vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,077 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Novi Sad costs about 63% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Novi Sad sits 5% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 RSD 984

$2.04 ฿68.4

369.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.59 RSD 4,988

$18.71 ฿626

159.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 RSD 1,133

$7.86 ฿263

40.46%

Cappuccino

$2.38 RSD 244

$2.03 ฿67.9

17.24%

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

$2.18 RSD 224

$0.80 ฿26.71

172.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RSD 174

$0.35 ฿11.71

382.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 RSD 298

$2.14 ฿71.7

35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RSD 374

$3.67 ฿123

-0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RSD 158

$1.73 ฿57.8

-10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RSD 106

$1.57 ฿52.5

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 RSD 277

$1.20 ฿40.10

124.17%

Eggs

$2.58 RSD 265

$1.97 ฿66.0

30.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 RSD 1,225

$16.23 ฿543

-26.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RSD 724

$3.06 ฿102

130.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 RSD 1,311

$10.80 ฿361

18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RSD 127

$2.77 ฿92.6

-55.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 195

$1.17 ฿39.05

62.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RSD 169

$1.71 ฿57.1

-4.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RSD 261

$1.59 ฿53.3

59.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RSD 95.0

$1.39 ฿46.63

-33.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RSD 90.1

$1.16 ฿38.67

-24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RSD 82.3

$0.66 ฿22.11

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 70.5

$0.52 ฿17.35

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 RSD 444

$4.65 ฿155

-6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 RSD 777

$17.78 ฿595

-57.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RSD 88.3

$1.79 ฿59.8

-51.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RSD 227

$3.34 ฿112

-33.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 RSD 106

$0.91 ฿30.35

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 RSD 2,577

$18.64 ฿624

34.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 RSD 203

$1.41 ฿47.17

40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RSD 69.0

$1.34 ฿44.82

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.30 RSD 955

$8.11 ฿271

14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 187

$1.23 ฿41.27

47.97%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.2M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

44.42%

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

$28.9K RSD 3.0M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

32.53%

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

$208 RSD 21.3K

$71.3 ฿2,386

190.93%

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

$19.88 RSD 2,041

$14.01 ฿469

41.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.00 RSD 3,695

$17.93 ฿600

100.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.49 RSD 3,643

$40.82 ฿1,365

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 RSD 1,437

$6.88 ฿230

103.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 RSD 640

$5.72 ฿191

9.09%

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

$339 RSD 34.8K

$308 ฿10.3K

9.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,130 RSD 731.8K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-51.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 RSD 11.0K

$55.8 ฿1,865

92.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 RSD 4,707

$26.04 ฿871

76.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 RSD 12.6K

$84.8 ฿2,837

44.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 RSD 13.9K

$71.0 ฿2,375

90.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RSD 58.2K

$423 ฿14.2K

33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 RSD 46.9K

$242 ฿8,110

88.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 RSD 112.5K

$797 ฿26.7K

37.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 RSD 81.1K

$507 ฿17.0K

55.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,667 RSD 376.4K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

91.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,713 RSD 278.5K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

85.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 RSD 109.1K

$595 ฿19.9K

78.57%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $567 in Novi Sad versus $423 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 79% 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 $49.00 in Novi Sad versus $19.00 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 63% 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 $2,088 per month in Novi Sad and $1,279 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 $339 per month in Novi Sad and $308 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 $852, than in Novi Sad at $1,392. 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 $852 versus $1,392 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.