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: $1,167 in Sendai versus $1,468 in Novi Sad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,810 in Sendai versus $2,245 in Novi Sad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,454 in Sendai versus $3,021 in Novi Sad.

Living in Sendai costs roughly 21% less than in Novi Sad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sendai is 15% below, Novi Sad is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 ¥959

$10.43 RSD 1,053

-40.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.30 ¥5,338

$52.1 RSD 5,258

-34.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 ¥726

$12.85 RSD 1,297

-63.74%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥554

$2.71 RSD 274

31.37%

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

$0.95 ¥149

$2.47 RSD 250

-61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥124

$1.90 RSD 192

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 ¥299

$2.99 RSD 302

-35.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$4.04 RSD 408

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ¥227

$1.45 RSD 147

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.03 RSD 104

38.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.63 ¥1,032

$2.84 RSD 287

133.45%

Eggs

$2.03 ¥316

$2.71 RSD 274

-25.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 ¥1,688

$14.12 RSD 1,424

-23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 ¥1,804

$7.54 RSD 761

53.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.54 ¥1,329

$14.42 RSD 1,455

-40.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ¥543

$1.83 RSD 185

90.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥341

$2.02 RSD 203

8.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 ¥713

$1.69 RSD 170

171.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 ¥476

$2.75 RSD 277

11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 ¥380

$1.04 RSD 105

134.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$0.71 RSD 71.6

223.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥216

$0.99 RSD 100

40.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ¥189

$0.72 RSD 72.8

69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ¥668

$4.83 RSD 487

-11.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 ¥1,093

$8.08 RSD 815

-13.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥244

$0.97 RSD 97.6

60.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ¥425

$2.36 RSD 238

15.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 ¥233

$1.01 RSD 102

48.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.42 ¥5,824

$25.60 RSD 2,583

46.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 ¥810

$2.42 RSD 244

114.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RSD 96.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.70 ¥2,755

$10.92 RSD 1,102

62.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.85 RSD 187

-42.70%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

-50.44%

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

$25.0K ¥3.9M

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

-7.02%

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

$137 ¥21.3K

$240 RSD 24.2K

-42.84%

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

$29.91 ¥4,655

$20.60 RSD 2,079

45.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 ¥5,509

$35.23 RSD 3,554

0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.03 ¥7,008

$38.86 RSD 3,920

15.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 ¥1,939

$11.59 RSD 1,169

7.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 ¥1,543

$7.51 RSD 757

31.96%

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

$222 ¥34.6K

$376 RSD 37.9K

-40.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,715 ¥578.2K

$7,932 RSD 800.2K

-53.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 ¥8,652

$126 RSD 12.7K

-55.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 ¥5,107

$45.45 RSD 4,585

-27.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.00 ¥5,447

$144 RSD 14.5K

-75.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ¥8,247

$143 RSD 14.4K

-62.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥86.5K

$513 RSD 51.7K

8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥50.3K

$425 RSD 42.8K

-23.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 ¥109.2K

$1,010 RSD 101.9K

-30.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 ¥111.7K

$810 RSD 81.7K

-11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ¥410.3K

$3,740 RSD 377.4K

-29.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 ¥222.8K

$2,733 RSD 275.7K

-47.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 ¥133.2K

$1,246 RSD 125.7K

-31.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.73

5.23

-47.80%

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

Last update for Sendai: September 1, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Sendai and $513 in Novi Sad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 46% 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: $34.00 in Sendai vs $52.0 in Novi Sad. Groceries flip the comparison at $303 vs $255, 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. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 46% 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: $555 in Sendai versus $513 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 $52.0 in Novi Sad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,167 per month in Sendai versus $1,468 in Novi Sad – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,167 in Sendai versus $1,468 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 26% less than in Novi Sad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.