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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Sendai costs roughly 11% less than in Novi Sad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 ¥1,069

$9.61 RSD 968

-30.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 ¥5,451

$50.2 RSD 5,053

-32.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ¥789

$10.68 RSD 1,076

-53.93%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ¥614

$2.29 RSD 231

67.25%

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

$1.57 ¥251

$2.13 RSD 215

-26.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$1.64 RSD 166

-54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ¥569

$2.94 RSD 297

20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ¥544

$3.72 RSD 375

-8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.53 RSD 155

-3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ¥190

$1.04 RSD 105

13.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ¥618

$2.74 RSD 276

40.51%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥300

$2.55 RSD 257

-26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,628

$12.18 RSD 1,227

-16.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 ¥1,191

$6.76 RSD 681

9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 ¥1,512

$12.46 RSD 1,256

-24.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 ¥859

$1.29 RSD 130

315.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ¥369

$1.85 RSD 186

24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 ¥794

$1.64 RSD 166

201.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 ¥581

$2.42 RSD 244

49.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥420

$1.00 RSD 100

162.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ¥318

$0.95 RSD 95.7

108.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ¥183

$0.80 RSD 80.3

42.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.70 RSD 70.5

15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 ¥782

$4.42 RSD 445

10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 ¥1,113

$8.12 RSD 818

-14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$0.92 RSD 93.0

131.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥435

$2.23 RSD 225

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 ¥274

$0.95 RSD 95.3

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.39 ¥7,917

$24.77 RSD 2,495

99.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 ¥898

$1.94 RSD 196

188.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ¥217

$0.69 RSD 69.4

97.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.16 ¥3,231

$9.67 RSD 974

108.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥189

$1.92 RSD 194

-38.54%

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

$20.7K ¥3.3M

$30.5K RSD 3.1M

-32.04%

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

$28.2K ¥4.5M

$28.3K RSD 2.9M

-0.26%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$208 RSD 21.0K

-16.97%

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

$23.14 ¥3,709

$20.00 RSD 2,015

15.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 ¥5,051

$35.49 RSD 3,576

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,824

$36.28 RSD 3,655

51.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,233

$14.17 RSD 1,427

-1.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥1,974

$6.20 RSD 624

98.71%

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

$314 ¥50.4K

$335 RSD 33.8K

-6.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,305 ¥1.0M

$7,325 RSD 738.0K

-13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ¥9,920

$109 RSD 11.0K

-43.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 ¥6,233

$45.57 RSD 4,591

-14.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 ¥8,290

$124 RSD 12.5K

-58.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 ¥12.3K

$138 RSD 13.9K

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ¥71.5K

$563 RSD 56.8K

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.3K

$471 RSD 47.4K

-30.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ¥132.3K

$1,075 RSD 108.3K

-23.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ¥101.4K

$777 RSD 78.3K

-18.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ¥425.8K

$3,778 RSD 380.6K

-29.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,419 ¥227.5K

$2,758 RSD 277.9K

-48.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 ¥181.8K

$1,069 RSD 107.7K

6.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

-58.96%

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

Last update for Sendai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Sendai and $563 in Novi Sad. 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: $34.00 in Sendai vs $50.0 in Novi Sad. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 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

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

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

Sendai pays 6% more on average, 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: $446 in Sendai versus $563 in Novi Sad. 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 $1,237 per month in Sendai versus $1,384 in Novi Sad – 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, Sendai 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 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.