Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Sad and Kragujevac

For one person, living is cheaper in Kragujevac: $1,202 a month against $1,393 in Novi Sad, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 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
58

Cost of Living Index in Kragujevac
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Kragujevac Living Index

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Novi Sad

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,393

/mo nomad

Kragujevac

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novi Sad and in Kragujevac

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 Kragujevac actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Novi Sad versus $1,202 in Kragujevac.

Novi Sad $1,393
Kragujevac $1,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,154 in Novi Sad versus $1,813 in Kragujevac.

Novi Sad $2,154
Kragujevac $1,813

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,915 in Novi Sad versus $2,424 in Kragujevac.

Novi Sad $2,915
Kragujevac $2,424

Living in Novi Sad is roughly 16% more expensive than in Kragujevac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Novi Sad is 2% above, Kragujevac is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 RSD 1,059

$10.41 RSD 1,090

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 RSD 5,255

$42.68 RSD 4,470

17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 RSD 1,263

$9.79 RSD 1,026

23.19%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RSD 278

$2.05 RSD 214

29.27%

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

$2.37 RSD 248

$2.24 RSD 235

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RSD 191

$1.37 RSD 144

32.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 RSD 307

$2.64 RSD 276

10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 RSD 390

$3.30 RSD 346

12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RSD 146

$1.28 RSD 134

8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 RSD 97.5

$0.58 RSD 60.4

60.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 RSD 278

$1.85 RSD 193

43.24%

Eggs

$2.67 RSD 280

$2.42 RSD 254

10.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 RSD 1,410

$9.51 RSD 996

41.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 RSD 756

$6.31 RSD 660

14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 RSD 1,473

$11.56 RSD 1,211

21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 184

$1.18 RSD 123

49.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 199

$1.82 RSD 191

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RSD 174

$1.70 RSD 179

-2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RSD 266

$2.26 RSD 237

12.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RSD 104

$1.11 RSD 116

-9.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RSD 72.5

$1.15 RSD 120

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 RSD 99.5

$1.02 RSD 107

-6.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RSD 71.5

$0.65 RSD 67.8

4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 RSD 492

$4.22 RSD 442

11.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RSD 816

$7.68 RSD 804

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 90.9

$0.86 RSD 89.9

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RSD 241

$2.27 RSD 238

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 RSD 98.4

$0.93 RSD 97.0

1.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.22 RSD 2,537

$28.41 RSD 2,976

-14.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 RSD 242

$1.44 RSD 151

60.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RSD 96.2

$0.98 RSD 103

-6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 RSD 1,092

$5.35 RSD 560

94.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 190

$1.75 RSD 183

3.43%

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

$30.1K RSD 3.2M

$29.5K RSD 3.1M

2.08%

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

$23.8K RSD 2.5M

-0.16%

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

$224 RSD 23.5K

$188 RSD 19.7K

19.15%

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

$20.29 RSD 2,125

$27.15 RSD 2,844

-25.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.84 RSD 3,544

$31.42 RSD 3,291

7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 RSD 3,663

$29.36 RSD 3,075

19.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.12 RSD 1,165

$20.21 RSD 2,117

-44.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 RSD 721

$6.39 RSD 669

7.67%

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

$364 RSD 38.1K

$174 RSD 18.2K

109.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,540 RSD 789.7K

$3,757 RSD 393.5K

100.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 RSD 12.3K

$61.0 RSD 6,390

91.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 RSD 4,647

$64.4 RSD 6,747

-31.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 RSD 14.1K

$122 RSD 12.8K

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 RSD 13.0K

$116 RSD 12.2K

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 RSD 53.3K

$442 RSD 46.3K

14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 RSD 43.0K

$333 RSD 34.9K

23.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 RSD 108.3K

$725 RSD 75.9K

42.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 RSD 86.3K

$564 RSD 59.1K

46.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,595 RSD 376.5K

$2,204 RSD 230.9K

63.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,621 RSD 274.6K

$1,630 RSD 170.8K

60.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,230 RSD 128.9K

$927 RSD 97.1K

32.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.17

4.84

6.82%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kragujevac: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Novi Sad

$411 29.5%

Kragujevac

$333 27.7% 18.9% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novi Sad

$278 20%

Kragujevac

$247 20.5% 11.4% $32

Groceries & Markets

Novi Sad

$244 17.5%

Kragujevac

$207 17.2% 15% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Novi Sad

$189 13.6%

Kragujevac

$164 13.6% 13.6% $26

Eating Out

Novi Sad

$188 13.5%

Kragujevac

$171 14.3% 8.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Novi Sad

$49 3.5%

Kragujevac

$42 3.5% 13.5% $6.6

Getting Around

Novi Sad

$35 2.5%

Kragujevac

$38 3.2% 10.3% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Novi Sad and $442 in Kragujevac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 33% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $50 in Novi Sad vs $43 in Kragujevac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $207 per month, with Kragujevac cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇸 Novi Sad

🇷🇸 Kragujevac

🕒 Local time

00:16 12:16 AM

Same time as Novi Sad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

260,438

146,315

💱 Currency

Serbian Dinar RSD din

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 RSD = 9.55 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.55 EUR

1,000 RSD = 9.55 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.55 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Novi Sad Kragujevac 160 km

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Novi Sad
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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 Kragujevac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kragujevac wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Novi Sad. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kragujevac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Novi Sad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $509 in Novi Sad versus $442 in Kragujevac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,393 per month in Novi Sad versus $1,202 in Kragujevac – Kragujevac is about 14% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Novi Sad runs roughly 15% less than in Kragujevac. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Kragujevac is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Kragujevac are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Kragujevac wins on affordability, Novi Sad on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.