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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,405 in Novi Sad versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,094 in Novi Sad versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,782 in Novi Sad versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Novi Sad is roughly 11% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Novi Sad is 5% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.59 RSD 970

$4.56 ฿149

110.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.50 RSD 4,905

$46.63 ฿1,519

4.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 RSD 1,109

$8.47 ฿276

29.52%

Cappuccino

$2.26 RSD 229

$3.03 ฿98.6

-25.41%

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

$2.13 RSD 215

$0.69 ฿22.45

208.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RSD 173

$0.37 ฿11.92

362.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 RSD 291

$2.49 ฿81.0

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RSD 368

$3.66 ฿119

-0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RSD 158

$2.18 ฿71.0

-28.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RSD 100

$1.90 ฿62.0

-47.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 RSD 284

$2.20 ฿71.6

27.73%

Eggs

$2.56 RSD 259

$2.22 ฿72.4

15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 RSD 1,205

$19.99 ฿651

-40.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 RSD 687

$3.66 ฿119

85.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 RSD 1,251

$13.25 ฿432

-6.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RSD 126

$3.23 ฿105

-61.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 RSD 194

$1.70 ฿55.3

12.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RSD 165

$2.39 ฿78.0

-31.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 RSD 250

$2.08 ฿67.7

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RSD 101

$1.59 ฿51.8

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 93.3

$1.48 ฿48.31

-37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 RSD 77.2

$1.03 ฿33.54

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RSD 69.0

$0.52 ฿16.83

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 RSD 451

$4.25 ฿138

4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RSD 788

$18.79 ฿612

-58.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RSD 84.9

$1.76 ฿57.2

-52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 RSD 218

$2.76 ฿89.8

-22.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 RSD 102

$1.36 ฿44.32

-25.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.83 RSD 2,511

$11.36 ฿370

118.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 RSD 194

$3.14 ฿102

-38.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RSD 65.7

$1.04 ฿33.74

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.76 RSD 987

$13.77 ฿448

-29.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 184

$1.34 ฿43.79

35.82%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

12.13%

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

$28.6K RSD 2.9M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-15.61%

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

$207 RSD 20.9K

$124 ฿4,025

67.32%

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

$19.65 RSD 1,987

$13.52 ฿440

45.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.46 RSD 3,586

$18.69 ฿609

89.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.41 RSD 3,683

$61.8 ฿2,013

-41.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 RSD 1,415

$17.25 ฿562

-18.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 RSD 606

$9.14 ฿298

-34.46%

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

$346 RSD 35.0K

$703 ฿22.9K

-50.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,231 RSD 731.2K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-54.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 RSD 10.9K

$59.5 ฿1,937

80.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.50 RSD 4,702

$35.07 ฿1,142

32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 RSD 12.3K

$115 ฿3,754

5.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 RSD 13.9K

$84.1 ฿2,737

62.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 RSD 56.8K

$619 ฿20.1K

-9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 RSD 46.6K

$433 ฿14.1K

6.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 RSD 109.7K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-47.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 RSD 79.7K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-47.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,691 RSD 373.2K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

1.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,697 RSD 272.7K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

2.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,046 RSD 105.8K

$507 ฿16.5K

106.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

5.33

37.15%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $562 in Novi Sad and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 106% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Novi Sad vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $293, with Novi Sad cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Novi Sad pays 106% more on average, 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: $562 in Novi Sad versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $49.00 in Novi Sad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,405 per month in Novi Sad versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,405 in Novi Sad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Novi Sad. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Novi Sad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Novi Sad and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Novi Sad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.