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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,392 in Novi Sad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $2,077 in Novi Sad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,763 in Novi Sad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 9% less than in Novi Sad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.58 RSD 975

-53.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$48.59 RSD 4,942

-6.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$11.04 RSD 1,123

-20.65%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.38 RSD 242

24.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.18 RSD 222

-68.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.69 RSD 172

-76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.90 RSD 295

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.64 RSD 371

3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.54 RSD 157

39.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.03 RSD 105

76.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.69 RSD 274

-18.96%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.58 RSD 262

-12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.94 RSD 1,214

67.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.05 RSD 718

-48.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.77 RSD 1,299

6.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.24 RSD 126

161.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.90 RSD 193

-13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.64 RSD 167

42.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.54 RSD 258

-18.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.93 RSD 94.2

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.88 RSD 89.3

65.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.80 RSD 81.5

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.69 RSD 69.9

-30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.33 RSD 440

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.57 RSD 770

145.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.86 RSD 87.5

116.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.22 RSD 225

19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.04 RSD 105

36.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$25.11 RSD 2,553

-53.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.98 RSD 201

60.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.67 RSD 68.3

53.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$9.30 RSD 946

49.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.82 RSD 185

-26.37%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-10.23%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.9K RSD 2.9M

15.42%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$208 RSD 21.1K

-40.70%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$19.88 RSD 2,022

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$36.00 RSD 3,662

-49.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$35.49 RSD 3,609

71.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.00 RSD 1,424

22.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.24 RSD 634

42.15%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$339 RSD 34.5K

103.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$7,130 RSD 725.1K

121.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$107 RSD 10.9K

-44.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$45.86 RSD 4,664

-24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$123 RSD 12.5K

-6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$135 RSD 13.8K

-38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$567 RSD 57.6K

9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$457 RSD 46.5K

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$1,096 RSD 111.5K

85.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$790 RSD 80.4K

89.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$3,667 RSD 372.9K

-5.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$2,713 RSD 276.0K

-6.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,063 RSD 108.1K

-53.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.31

-27.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $567 in Novi Sad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 115% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $49.00 in Novi Sad. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $233, 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

Phuket vs Novi Sad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 115% lower in Novi Sad. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $567 in Novi Sad. 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 $46.00 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 $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,392 in Novi Sad – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,392 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, Phuket and Novi Sad 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 10% less than in Novi Sad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.