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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,384 in Novi Sad versus $1,237 in Sendai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,085 in Novi Sad versus $1,903 in Sendai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Novi Sad versus $2,569 in Sendai.

Living in Novi Sad is roughly 12% more expensive than Sendai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Novi Sad is 3% above, Sendai is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.61 RSD 968

$6.67 ¥1,069

44.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 RSD 5,053

$34.00 ¥5,451

47.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 RSD 1,076

$4.92 ¥789

117.07%

Cappuccino

$2.29 RSD 231

$3.83 ¥614

-40.21%

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

$2.13 RSD 215

$1.57 ¥251

35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RSD 166

$0.75 ¥120

118.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 RSD 297

$3.55 ¥569

-17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 RSD 375

$3.39 ¥544

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RSD 155

$1.48 ¥237

3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 RSD 105

$1.18 ¥190

-11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 RSD 276

$3.85 ¥618

-28.83%

Eggs

$2.55 RSD 257

$1.87 ¥300

36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 RSD 1,227

$10.16 ¥1,628

19.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RSD 681

$7.43 ¥1,191

-9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 RSD 1,256

$9.43 ¥1,512

32.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 RSD 130

$5.36 ¥859

-75.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 186

$2.30 ¥369

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RSD 166

$4.95 ¥794

-66.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RSD 244

$3.62 ¥581

-33.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RSD 100

$2.62 ¥420

-61.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RSD 95.7

$1.98 ¥318

-52.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RSD 80.3

$1.14 ¥183

-29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 RSD 70.5

$0.81 ¥130

-13.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 RSD 445

$4.88 ¥782

-9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 RSD 818

$6.94 ¥1,113

17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RSD 93.0

$2.13 ¥341

-56.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RSD 225

$2.71 ¥435

-17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RSD 95.3

$1.71 ¥274

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.77 RSD 2,495

$49.39 ¥7,917

-49.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 RSD 196

$5.60 ¥898

-65.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RSD 69.4

$1.36 ¥217

-49.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.67 RSD 974

$20.16 ¥3,231

-52.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RSD 194

$1.18 ¥189

62.71%

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

$30.5K RSD 3.1M

$20.7K ¥3.3M

47.15%

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

$28.3K RSD 2.9M

$28.2K ¥4.5M

0.26%

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

$208 RSD 21.0K

$173 ¥27.7K

20.43%

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

$20.00 RSD 2,015

$23.14 ¥3,709

-13.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.49 RSD 3,576

$31.51 ¥5,051

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.28 RSD 3,655

$55.1 ¥8,824

-34.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.17 RSD 1,427

$13.93 ¥2,233

1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 RSD 624

$12.32 ¥1,974

-49.68%

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

$335 RSD 33.8K

$314 ¥50.4K

6.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,325 RSD 738.0K

$6,305 ¥1.0M

16.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 RSD 11.0K

$61.9 ¥9,920

75.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.57 RSD 4,591

$38.89 ¥6,233

17.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 RSD 12.5K

$51.7 ¥8,290

138.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 RSD 13.9K

$76.6 ¥12.3K

80.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 RSD 56.8K

$446 ¥71.5K

26.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RSD 47.4K

$326 ¥52.3K

44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 RSD 108.3K

$825 ¥132.3K

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 RSD 78.3K

$633 ¥101.4K

22.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,778 RSD 380.6K

$2,656 ¥425.8K

42.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,758 RSD 277.9K

$1,419 ¥227.5K

94.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 RSD 107.7K

$1,134 ¥181.8K

-5.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

143.67%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sendai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $563 in Novi Sad and $446 in Sendai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sendai pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Novi Sad vs $34.00 in Sendai. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $280, 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 Sendai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sendai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sendai earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $563 in Novi Sad versus $446 in Sendai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sendai – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $50.0 in Novi Sad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,384 per month in Novi Sad versus $1,237 in Sendai – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,237 in Sendai versus $1,384 in Novi Sad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sendai but tight or insufficient in Novi Sad. The gap between the two cities makes Sendai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sendai 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 Sendai 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 Sendai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Novi Sad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.