Why consider Novi Sad?
Novi Sad is Serbia's second-largest city — a beautiful, compact, very walkable city on the Danube with a relaxed pace of life and costs about 20–30% lower than Belgrade.
It is not a small town. With around 280,000 people, Novi Sad has a strong café culture, good restaurants, a vibrant university community, and excellent infrastructure. It also hosts EXIT — one of Europe's most respected music festivals — every July.
Population
Comfortable monthly budget for one person
By train to Belgrade
Cost of living
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment, centre | €350–550/month |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outer areas | €250–400/month |
| Coffee in a café | €1–1.80 |
| Lunch at a local restaurant | €4–7 |
| Monthly transport pass | €18–22 |
What is Novi Sad like day-to-day?
The city centre is dominated by the pedestrian zone around Zmaj Jovina Street — excellent cafés, restaurants, and shops, all very walkable. The Petrovaradin Fortress sits dramatically above the city on the opposite bank of the Danube and is worth exploring. The riverside promenade is a great place to walk.
English is widely spoken, particularly among the large student and younger population. The city has a noticeably multicultural character — there are significant Hungarian, Slovak, and Croatian communities alongside the Serbian majority.
Novi Sad vs Belgrade
- Cheaper: Rent is roughly 20–30% lower than equivalent Belgrade apartments
- Quieter: Less intense pace of life, less traffic, more manageable city scale
- Smaller expat community: Fewer international connections than Belgrade, though growing
- Easy to reach Belgrade: 30 minutes by high-speed train — many people commute or visit regularly
- Less nightlife: Excellent café culture but cannot match Belgrade's nightlife scale
Getting there and around
Novi Sad is 90km north of Belgrade. The high-speed train takes under 30 minutes and costs about €5 each way — making it very easy to access Belgrade whenever needed. Novi Sad's public transport (buses) covers the city well. Taxis and ride apps are available and cheap.
Legal setup
All the same residence permit and freelancer registration options available in Belgrade apply equally in Novi Sad. Marko handles legal setup for clients in Novi Sad as well.