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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,448 in Novi Sad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,190 in Novi Sad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,932 in Novi Sad.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 15% less than in Novi Sad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Novi Sad is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.00 RSD 1,115

-59.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$52.2 RSD 5,285

-38.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$12.66 RSD 1,283

-29.46%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.78 RSD 282

4.32%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.45 RSD 248

-64.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.95 RSD 198

-75.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.91 RSD 295

-19.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.87 RSD 393

-3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.44 RSD 146

29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.98 RSD 99.8

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.87 RSD 291

-45.99%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.64 RSD 268

-20.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$14.02 RSD 1,421

39.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.45 RSD 756

-54.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.44 RSD 1,463

-21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.79 RSD 181

66.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.01 RSD 203

-16.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.72 RSD 174

28.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.64 RSD 268

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.04 RSD 105

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.71 RSD 72.0

88.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.99 RSD 100

14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.74 RSD 75.4

-25.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.01 RSD 507

-14.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.71 RSD 781

147.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$0.96 RSD 97.4

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.37 RSD 240

17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.00 RSD 101

123.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$25.20 RSD 2,554

-9.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.38 RSD 241

27.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.91 RSD 92.1

12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$10.64 RSD 1,078

-63.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.91 RSD 193

-21.99%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$31.3K RSD 3.2M

-15.13%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$27.3K RSD 2.8M

-0.84%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$238 RSD 24.1K

-56.96%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$20.83 RSD 2,111

-45.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$34.96 RSD 3,543

-50.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$38.58 RSD 3,910

34.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$11.66 RSD 1,182

-5.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.59 RSD 769

1.32%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$381 RSD 38.6K

47.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$7,861 RSD 796.6K

46.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$122 RSD 12.3K

-48.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$45.96 RSD 4,658

-35.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$142 RSD 14.4K

-31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$142 RSD 14.4K

-37.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$505 RSD 51.2K

46.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$421 RSD 42.6K

14.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$999 RSD 101.3K

110.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$798 RSD 80.9K

53.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$3,682 RSD 373.2K

-1.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,696 RSD 273.3K

-3.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,225 RSD 124.2K

-59.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.23

6.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $505 in Novi Sad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 148% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $52.0 in Novi Sad. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $252, 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. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 148% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $505 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 $32.00 versus $52.0 in Novi Sad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,448 in Novi Sad – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,448 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 18% less than in Novi Sad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.