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: $1,244 in Sendai versus $1,395 in Novi Sad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,883 in Sendai versus $2,120 in Novi Sad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Sendai versus $2,845 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 7% below, Novi Sad is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 ¥1,073

$10.10 RSD 1,033

-34.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.01 ¥5,525

$49.11 RSD 5,021

-30.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ¥766

$10.69 RSD 1,093

-55.94%

Cappuccino

$4.06 ¥659

$2.26 RSD 231

79.65%

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

$1.57 ¥255

$2.10 RSD 214

-25.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥119

$1.70 RSD 174

-57.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥561

$3.03 RSD 310

13.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ¥580

$3.74 RSD 382

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥230

$1.60 RSD 164

-11.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ¥192

$1.02 RSD 105

15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 ¥603

$2.81 RSD 287

32.03%

Eggs

$1.82 ¥296

$2.65 RSD 271

-31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 ¥1,645

$12.03 RSD 1,230

-15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 ¥1,236

$6.77 RSD 692

12.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 ¥1,613

$12.77 RSD 1,306

-22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 ¥889

$1.25 RSD 127

337.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ¥367

$1.85 RSD 189

22.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.10 ¥829

$1.58 RSD 161

222.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$2.51 RSD 257

47.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ¥423

$0.94 RSD 95.9

176.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ¥328

$0.94 RSD 95.9

114.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ¥187

$0.81 RSD 82.7

41.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥122

$0.65 RSD 66.6

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ¥797

$4.55 RSD 465

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 ¥1,104

$7.93 RSD 811

-14.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥332

$0.86 RSD 87.6

137.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥458

$2.24 RSD 229

25.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 ¥287

$0.95 RSD 96.8

86.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.26 ¥8,004

$24.56 RSD 2,511

100.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 ¥898

$1.90 RSD 194

190.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ¥212

$0.63 RSD 64.5

107.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.08 ¥3,262

$9.31 RSD 952

115.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥186

$1.82 RSD 186

-37.36%

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

$21.0K ¥3.4M

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

-31.50%

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

$28.2K ¥4.6M

$28.7K RSD 2.9M

-1.69%

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

$177 ¥28.7K

$203 RSD 20.7K

-12.79%

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

$23.15 ¥3,762

$19.90 RSD 2,034

16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.65 ¥5,142

$36.34 RSD 3,715

-12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ¥8,854

$35.51 RSD 3,630

53.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.84 ¥2,248

$13.88 RSD 1,419

-0.29%

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 ¥2,006

$6.28 RSD 642

96.66%

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

$311 ¥50.6K

$340 RSD 34.7K

-8.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,236 ¥1.0M

$7,127 RSD 728.7K

-12.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥10.2K

$109 RSD 11.2K

-42.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.19 ¥6,368

$44.99 RSD 4,600

-12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.89 ¥8,106

$122 RSD 12.5K

-59.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 ¥12.3K

$138 RSD 14.1K

-45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.3K

$548 RSD 56.1K

-18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥54.1K

$471 RSD 48.2K

-29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ¥134.7K

$1,102 RSD 112.7K

-24.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ¥103.4K

$795 RSD 81.3K

-20.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,606 ¥423.5K

$3,644 RSD 372.6K

-28.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ¥229.0K

$2,646 RSD 270.5K

-46.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$862 ¥140.1K

$1,064 RSD 108.7K

-18.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Novi Sad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Sendai and $548 in Novi Sad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi Sad pays 23% 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 $49.00 in Novi Sad. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 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.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $445 in Sendai versus $548 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 $49.00 in Novi Sad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,244 per month in Sendai versus $1,395 in Novi Sad – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,244 in Sendai versus $1,395 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.