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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Novi Sad versus $1,052 in Subotica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Novi Sad versus $1,541 in Subotica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Novi Sad versus $2,029 in Subotica.

Living in Novi Sad is roughly 33% more expensive than in Subotica, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Novi Sad is 4% above, Subotica is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 RSD 1,033

$9.68 RSD 990

4.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.11 RSD 5,021

$29.55 RSD 3,021

66.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 RSD 1,093

$8.91 RSD 911

19.98%

Cappuccino

$2.26 RSD 231

$2.02 RSD 206

11.88%

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

$2.10 RSD 214

$1.59 RSD 162

32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RSD 174

$1.03 RSD 105

65.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 RSD 310

$1.94 RSD 198

56.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 RSD 382

$2.14 RSD 218

74.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RSD 164

$1.44 RSD 147

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 RSD 105

$0.88 RSD 90.5

15.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 RSD 287

$3.00 RSD 307

-6.33%

Eggs

$2.65 RSD 271

$2.71 RSD 277

-2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 RSD 1,230

$10.81 RSD 1,105

11.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 RSD 692

$7.30 RSD 746

-7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 RSD 1,306

$10.48 RSD 1,071

21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RSD 127

$1.37 RSD 140

-8.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 189

$1.83 RSD 187

1.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 RSD 161

$1.49 RSD 152

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 RSD 257

$2.19 RSD 224

14.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RSD 95.9

$1.07 RSD 109

-12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RSD 95.9

$0.79 RSD 81.1

18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 RSD 82.7

$0.57 RSD 58.8

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RSD 66.6

$0.70 RSD 71.8

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 RSD 465

$4.42 RSD 452

2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 RSD 811

$5.48 RSD 560

44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RSD 87.6

$0.82 RSD 83.9

4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 RSD 229

$1.59 RSD 162

40.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RSD 96.8

$1.15 RSD 118

-17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.56 RSD 2,511

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 RSD 194

$1.86 RSD 190

2.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 RSD 64.5

$0.88 RSD 90.4

-28.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.31 RSD 952

$9.60 RSD 982

-3.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 186

$1.81 RSD 185

0.55%

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

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

1.67%

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

$28.7K RSD 2.9M

$26.9K RSD 2.8M

6.44%

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

$203 RSD 20.7K

$120 RSD 12.3K

68.57%

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

$19.90 RSD 2,034

$13.08 RSD 1,338

52.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 RSD 3,715

$32.76 RSD 3,350

10.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 RSD 3,630

$32.30 RSD 3,303

9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 RSD 1,419

$9.99 RSD 1,021

38.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 RSD 642

$2.99 RSD 306

110.03%

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

$340 RSD 34.7K

$450 RSD 46.0K

-24.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,127 RSD 728.7K

$9,144 RSD 934.9K

-22.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 RSD 11.2K

$34.71 RSD 3,549

214.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.99 RSD 4,600

$26.09 RSD 2,668

72.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 RSD 12.5K

$90.0 RSD 9,206

35.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 RSD 14.1K

$119 RSD 12.1K

16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 RSD 56.1K

$414 RSD 42.3K

32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RSD 48.2K

$324 RSD 33.1K

45.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 RSD 112.7K

$601 RSD 61.5K

83.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 RSD 81.3K

$554 RSD 56.6K

43.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,644 RSD 372.6K

$2,463 RSD 251.8K

47.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,646 RSD 270.5K

$1,673 RSD 171.0K

58.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 RSD 108.7K

$899 RSD 92.0K

18.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

5.59

30.77%

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

Last update for Novi Sad: July 13, 2026

Last update for Subotica: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Novi Sad and $414 in Subotica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 18% 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 $30.00 in Subotica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $215 per month, with Subotica cheaper across the board.

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 Subotica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Subotica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% 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 $414 in Subotica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Novi Sad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Novi Sad versus $1,052 in Subotica – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,052 in Subotica versus $1,395 in Novi Sad, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Subotica but tight or insufficient in Novi Sad. The gap between the two cities makes Subotica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Subotica 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 Subotica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Novi Sad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.