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: $1,395 in Novi Sad versus $1,244 in Sendai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Novi Sad versus $1,883 in Sendai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Novi Sad versus $2,522 in Sendai.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Novi Sad is 4% above, Sendai is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 RSD 1,033

$6.60 ¥1,073

53.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.11 RSD 5,021

$34.01 ¥5,525

44.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 RSD 1,093

$4.71 ¥766

126.96%

Cappuccino

$2.26 RSD 231

$4.06 ¥659

-44.33%

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

$2.10 RSD 214

$1.57 ¥255

33.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RSD 174

$0.73 ¥119

132.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 RSD 310

$3.45 ¥561

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 RSD 382

$3.57 ¥580

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RSD 164

$1.42 ¥230

12.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 RSD 105

$1.18 ¥192

-13.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 RSD 287

$3.71 ¥603

-24.26%

Eggs

$2.65 RSD 271

$1.82 ¥296

45.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 RSD 1,230

$10.12 ¥1,645

18.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 RSD 692

$7.61 ¥1,236

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 RSD 1,306

$9.92 ¥1,613

28.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RSD 127

$5.47 ¥889

-77.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 189

$2.26 ¥367

-18.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 RSD 161

$5.10 ¥829

-69.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 RSD 257

$3.69 ¥599

-31.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RSD 95.9

$2.60 ¥423

-63.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RSD 95.9

$2.02 ¥328

-53.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 RSD 82.7

$1.15 ¥187

-29.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RSD 66.6

$0.75 ¥122

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 RSD 465

$4.90 ¥797

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 RSD 811

$6.80 ¥1,104

16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RSD 87.6

$2.04 ¥332

-57.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 RSD 229

$2.82 ¥458

-20.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RSD 96.8

$1.77 ¥287

-46.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.56 RSD 2,511

$49.26 ¥8,004

-50.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 RSD 194

$5.52 ¥898

-65.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 RSD 64.5

$1.31 ¥212

-51.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.31 RSD 952

$20.08 ¥3,262

-53.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 186

$1.14 ¥186

59.65%

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

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

$21.0K ¥3.4M

45.99%

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

$28.7K RSD 2.9M

$28.2K ¥4.6M

1.72%

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

$203 RSD 20.7K

$177 ¥28.7K

14.66%

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

$19.90 RSD 2,034

$23.15 ¥3,762

-14.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 RSD 3,715

$31.65 ¥5,142

14.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 RSD 3,630

$54.5 ¥8,854

-34.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 RSD 1,419

$13.84 ¥2,248

0.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 RSD 642

$12.35 ¥2,006

-49.15%

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

$340 RSD 34.7K

$311 ¥50.6K

9.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,127 RSD 728.7K

$6,236 ¥1.0M

14.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 RSD 11.2K

$63.0 ¥10.2K

73.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.99 RSD 4,600

$39.19 ¥6,368

14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 RSD 12.5K

$49.89 ¥8,106

144.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 RSD 14.1K

$75.5 ¥12.3K

83.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 RSD 56.1K

$445 ¥72.3K

23.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RSD 48.2K

$333 ¥54.1K

41.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 RSD 112.7K

$829 ¥134.7K

32.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 RSD 81.3K

$636 ¥103.4K

25.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,644 RSD 372.6K

$2,606 ¥423.5K

39.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,646 RSD 270.5K

$1,409 ¥229.0K

87.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 RSD 108.7K

$862 ¥140.1K

23.31%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sendai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Novi Sad and $445 in Sendai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 23% 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 $34.00 in Sendai. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $281, 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.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $548 in Novi Sad versus $445 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 $49.00 in Novi Sad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Novi Sad versus $1,244 in Sendai – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,244 in Sendai versus $1,395 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.