Living in Novi Sad in 2026: The Expat's Complete Guide to Serbia's Second City

Understanding Novi Sad means understanding Petrovaradin Fortress. It is not simply a historical site on the tourist itinerary — it is a living, functioning part of the city, and it shapes the character of the neighbourhood that sits beneath it.

The History

Construction of the fortress began in 1692 under Habsburg rule and was completed in 1780 — an 88-year project designed to defend against Ottoman expansion. The result is one of the most sophisticated military fortifications in Central Europe: a vast complex of bastions, gates, and fortified walls covering 112 hectares above the Danube, built to withstand siege warfare and to control river movement between the Pannonian Plain and the Balkans.

The fortress earned its nickname "the Gibraltar of the Danube" from the 1716 Battle of Petrovaradin, in which Habsburg forces under Prince Eugene of Savoy decisively defeated the Ottoman army — one of the turning points in the long Ottoman-Habsburg conflict for control of the region.

Beneath the surface lies an underground tunnel network stretching approximately 16 kilometres, built for troop movement and supply logistics during sieges. Parts of this tunnel system are open to visitors through guided tours, descending into a world that most people do not know exists beneath the fortress grounds.

What to See and Do

For expats who make Novi Sad home, the fortress becomes part of the rhythm of daily life — a place for morning runs along the ramparts, afternoon coffee at one of the terrace cafés overlooking the Danube, or weekend walks through the interior courtyard with its mix of artists' studios, small galleries, and restored architectural details.

Key things to visit:

• The City Museum of Novi Sad — housed within the fortress, with collections covering the region from the Palaeolithic era through the Habsburg period and Yugoslav history
• The underground tunnel tours — guided descents into the 18th-century supply and movement network beneath the fortress
• The Clock Tower — an unusual detail: the fortress clock has its hour and minute hands switched, a design choice made historically so that sailors on the Danube could read the time from a greater distance
• Hotel Leopold I — a boutique hotel built within the restored 18th-century barracks on the upper fortress. For expats hosting international guests or wanting a memorable overnight stay, it remains one of the most unusual hotel settings in Serbia
• The terrace cafés and restaurants — with unobstructed views across the Danube to Novi Sad's city centre below

The fortress is accessible by foot via a cobblestone road from the Petrovaradin side, or via a road tunnel that connects beneath the Danube. The road to the upper fortress uses a single-lane tunnel with a traffic light system — a small piece of local logistics that first-time visitors frequently mention.

EXIT Festival: A Legacy Worth Understanding

For 24 years, the fortress served as the home of EXIT Festival — one of Europe's most celebrated summer music events, drawing 200,000 visitors annually across 40+ stages within the fortress walls. EXIT won the "Best Major European Festival" title at the European Festival Awards in 2013 and 2017, and was named one of the world's top five festivals by CNN and best in Europe by The Guardian.

In 2025, EXIT held its 25th and final edition at Petrovaradin Fortress. The festival publicly and actively supported Serbia's student protest movement — one of the most significant periods of civil unrest in the country in decades — and subsequently faced what organizers described as mounting political pressure and threats. Following the 2025 edition, EXIT announced it would not return to Petrovaradin in 2026, instead embarking on a global tour across Croatia, Malta, Egypt, India, and other locations.

This departure is a significant cultural moment for Novi Sad. The fortress hosted EXIT through some of its most formative years, and the event became inseparable from the city's international identity. EXIT's absence in 2026 does not diminish Petrovaradin's standing — the fortress continues to host cultural events, exhibitions, and performances year-round — but it is worth naming honestly rather than presenting outdated information.

For expats moving to Novi Sad, the EXIT chapter is important context: it explains why the city has the international cultural reputation it does, why the expat community here tends to attract a particular profile of globally-minded, culturally engaged people, and why the fortress carries a social meaning that goes beyond its walls.

Novi Sad is frequently described as "the Athens of Serbia" — a nickname earned through its historic role as a centre of Serbian culture, literature, and national identity during the Habsburg period. The city was the seat of the Serbian Orthodox cultural organisation Matica Srpska, founded in 1826, and served as the cultural capital of Serbs living under Austro-Hungarian rule.

Today it is a genuinely multicultural city — Serbian and Hungarian are the dominant languages, but the city reflects the broader Vojvodina region's mix of over 25 ethnic communities. This diversity is audible on the street, visible in the architecture (which blends Central European and Balkan styles), and felt in a civic culture that is generally considered more cosmopolitan and tolerant than Serbia's other major cities.

In 2021, Novi Sad held the title of European Capital of Culture — a designation that reflected genuine cultural substance rather than being a mere honour. The University of Novi Sad, founded in 1960, is one of the largest in Central Europe with approximately 50,000 students and 14 faculties, several of which offer programmes in English.

Novi Sad is a compact city — most of its residential neighbourhoods are navigable by bicycle or a short bus ride. The choice of neighbourhood is genuinely a lifestyle decision rather than a commute-management exercise.

City Centre (Stari Grad)

The historic old town, built around the Freedom Square (Trg Slobode) and the central pedestrian zone. Cobblestone streets, Habsburg-era architecture, café culture, and walkability to nearly everything. The most expensive renting option but also the most characterful. Particularly popular with expats who want to feel embedded in city life from day one.

Liman I–IV

A residential district directly south of Stari Grad, developed primarily in the mid-20th century. Liman is green, quiet, and family-orientated — close to the University of Novi Sad campus, with good schools, parks, and easy access to the city centre. One of the most consistently popular neighbourhoods for families relocating to Novi Sad.

Grbavica

A residential neighbourhood south of the city centre with a balance of calm and convenience. Largely apartment buildings, good transport links, and a local café and shopping scene. A practical choice for people who want city access without Stari Grad pricing.

Petrovaradin

The neighbourhood that sits beneath the fortress on the right bank of the Danube — accessed either via the Varadinski Bridge or through the road tunnel. Petrovaradin has a distinctly different character from the rest of Novi Sad: quieter, slightly bohemian, with a community feel that appeals to expats who want to live close to nature and the riverbank while remaining near the city. Property prices here are lower than the Novi Sad city centre. The climb to the fortress is part of daily life for residents.

Detelinara and Satelit

More affordable residential districts to the south and southwest, with larger apartments and good public transport connections to the centre. Popular with families who prioritise space over proximity to Stari Grad.

Novi Sad is consistently and meaningfully cheaper than Belgrade. The gap is not dramatic — both cities are affordable by Western standards — but for families or individuals making a long-term cost-of-living calculation, it matters.

Property purchase prices in Novi Sad average approximately €2,250–€2,300 per square metre in central areas — around 12–15% below Belgrade's citywide average. The Petrovaradin neighbourhood specifically offers lower entry prices, and the Liman and Grbavica districts offer the best balance of price and quality for families.

A comfortable family of four can live well in Novi Sad for approximately €1,500–€2,000 per month including rent, significantly below equivalent costs in Western Europe or North America.

The majority of expat families who compare Belgrade and Novi Sad seriously end up in Novi Sad. The reasons are consistent:

Scale. Novi Sad's compactness is a genuine lifestyle advantage for families. Children can be more independent at younger ages. Schools, parks, sports facilities, and daily amenities are within short distances. The pace is calmer.

Green space. The Strand Beach on the Danube — one of the largest urban river beaches in Europe — is a 15-minute walk from most central neighbourhoods. The Fruška Gora mountain range, with its monasteries and hiking trails, is 20 minutes by car. The Danube cycling path runs through the city.

Lower density and traffic. Belgrade's traffic is a genuine quality-of-life issue for families with children. Novi Sad's road network and scale makes car use far less stressful.

Community. The Novi Sad expat community is smaller than Belgrade's but notably close-knit. Families who relocate here report integrating into local social life faster than in the capital, partly because the city is small enough for connections to form naturally.

Education is the primary decision driver for families choosing between Novi Sad and Belgrade. Both cities have international school options, but the provision is more limited in Novi Sad.

International school options in Novi Sad include:

• Clever International School — English-medium curriculum with Serbian language instruction, serving primary and secondary age groups. Well-regarded within the expat community.
• Several bilingual pre-school and primary options — with English and Serbian instruction, suitable for younger children

For secondary education with IB or A-level curricula, families sometimes commute to Belgrade for specific programmes. The 90-minute drive or 60-minute intercity bus makes this feasible but not ideal for daily schooling.

The University of Novi Sad's Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Technical Sciences both have fully accredited English-language programmes — relevant for expat families with older children or those accompanying academic professionals.

Public schooling: Serbian public schools in Novi Sad are free and well-resourced relative to regional standards. They are taught in Serbian, which presents a language barrier for newly arrived expat children, but many families choose this route as an immersion pathway.

Novi Sad has solid public and private healthcare infrastructure for a city of its size. The Clinical Centre of Vojvodina is the main public hospital, covering the full range of specialist services. Quality and wait times in public facilities vary — expats generally supplement public coverage with private health insurance.

Private clinics and medical centres in Novi Sad provide quick access to GPs, specialists, dental, and diagnostic services at costs that remain a fraction of Western equivalents. Most private clinics in central Novi Sad have English-speaking staff or can arrange translation.

Health insurance is a mandatory component of the temporary residence permit application process. Relocation Serbia arranges qualifying health insurance for clients as part of the residency application service.

Relocation Serbia operates in both Belgrade and Novi Sad. Our Novi Sad team handles the full range of services for clients choosing the city as their relocation base:

• Temporary residence permit applications — processed through the Novi Sad Ministry of Interior office, including property-based, company-based, and family reunification applications
• Property search and acquisition support — across all Novi Sad neighbourhoods, with legal due diligence and transaction management
• Company registration — d.o.o. formation through the Business Registers Agency, with registered address options in Novi Sad
• Bank account setup — for both personal and business accounts with Novi Sad's commercial banks
• School search and enrollment support — for families with children, including coordination with Clever International School and other options
• Ongoing tax and compliance — bookkeeping and annual filing for Serbian entities registered in Novi Sad

For clients considering Novi Sad as their base but uncertain whether it or Belgrade is the right fit, we offer honest, experience-based guidance — including a direct comparison of what each city realistically offers for your specific profile and needs.

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Many expats arriving in Novi Sad purchase apartments — particularly in the Petrovaradin neighbourhood, Stari Grad, or Liman — that need renovation before they are move-in ready. Older Novi Sad apartments frequently have outdated kitchens, bathrooms, and electrical systems, and renovation is often part of the acquisition plan.

Serbia Spaces — Relocation Serbia's full-service renovation and interior design management operation — covers Novi Sad fully. A single English-speaking project manager coordinates vetted architects, designers, and contractors on your behalf, from permit applications through to final handover.

For buyers who are not in Serbia during the renovation, remote project management is standard practice. Weekly video updates, photographic reporting, and transparent fixed-scope pricing mean you do not need to be physically present for the work to proceed correctly.

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Novi Sad rewards the expats who choose it with something Belgrade does not always offer: genuine belonging at human scale. The city is large enough to have everything you need, small enough that the people in your neighbourhood become your community.

Whether you are drawn by the cost of living, the family environment, the cultural character, or simply the view from the Petrovaradin ramparts across the Danube, Relocation Serbia's Novi Sad team is here to make the process straightforward — from your first consultation through to residency permit, property acquisition, and settling in.

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Learn about our services for individuals and families →
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