Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Sad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi Sad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,091 per month in Novi Sad vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Novi Sad vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Novi Sad costs about 35% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Novi Sad sits 4% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.71 RSD 974

$5.92 COP 21.5K

64.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.38 RSD 4,951

$32.75 COP 119.1K

50.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 RSD 1,074

$7.20 COP 26.2K

48.75%

Cappuccino

$2.35 RSD 236

$1.70 COP 6,186

38.24%

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

$2.13 RSD 214

$1.10 COP 3,996

93.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 RSD 164

$0.72 COP 2,625

126.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 RSD 293

$1.67 COP 6,067

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 RSD 370

$3.10 COP 11.3K

19.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RSD 154

$1.06 COP 3,837

44.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RSD 103

$1.25 COP 4,531

-17.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 RSD 280

$1.39 COP 5,060

101.44%

Eggs

$2.57 RSD 257

$2.26 COP 8,229

13.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 RSD 1,183

$4.33 COP 15.8K

172.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RSD 715

$5.84 COP 21.2K

22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 RSD 1,272

$8.83 COP 32.1K

43.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RSD 126

$2.24 COP 8,159

-43.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 RSD 183

$1.08 COP 3,911

69.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RSD 164

$1.53 COP 5,563

6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RSD 245

$1.37 COP 4,987

78.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RSD 99.7

$1.13 COP 4,109

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RSD 93.3

$1.12 COP 4,067

-16.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RSD 79.3

$0.85 COP 3,080

-7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RSD 65.1

$0.91 COP 3,305

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 RSD 456

$2.33 COP 8,477

94.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 RSD 824

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RSD 87.2

$1.19 COP 4,342

-26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 RSD 218

$2.37 COP 8,617

-8.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 RSD 103

$0.79 COP 2,859

30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.69 RSD 2,475

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-39.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 RSD 196

$1.44 COP 5,223

36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RSD 69.1

$1.91 COP 6,952

-63.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 RSD 930

$8.02 COP 29.2K

15.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 RSD 183

$0.94 COP 3,410

94.68%

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

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

68.34%

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

$28.7K RSD 2.9M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

7.24%

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

$205 RSD 20.5K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

143.89%

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

$19.68 RSD 1,973

$9.60 COP 34.9K

105.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.95 RSD 3,604

$24.16 COP 87.9K

48.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.63 RSD 3,672

$25.88 COP 94.1K

41.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.21 RSD 1,424

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-25.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 RSD 630

$3.92 COP 14.2K

60.46%

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

$346 RSD 34.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

13.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,317 RSD 733.6K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

23.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 RSD 10.8K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

86.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 RSD 4,578

$31.82 COP 115.7K

43.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 RSD 12.3K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 RSD 13.9K

$107 COP 389.7K

29.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 RSD 55.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 RSD 46.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

24.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 RSD 108.7K

$826 COP 3.0M

31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 RSD 77.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

8.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,670 RSD 367.9K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

25.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,614 RSD 262.1K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

85.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,083 RSD 108.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

98.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

13.43

-45.57%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $557 in Novi Sad versus $487 in Medellin. 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 98% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Novi Sad is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,094 per month in Novi Sad and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Novi Sad and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Novi Sad and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Novi Sad at $1,396. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novi Sad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medellin. 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.