Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chita and Novosibirsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Chita: $1,085 a month against $1,153 in Novosibirsk, rent and utilities included – about $820 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Chita
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Chita Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Novosibirsk
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Novosibirsk Living Index

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Chita

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,085

/mo nomad

Novosibirsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,153

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chita and in Novosibirsk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chita and in Novosibirsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,085 in Chita versus $1,153 in Novosibirsk.

Chita $1,085
Novosibirsk $1,153

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,719 in Chita versus $1,833 in Novosibirsk.

Chita $1,719
Novosibirsk $1,833

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,354 in Chita versus $2,512 in Novosibirsk.

Chita $2,354
Novosibirsk $2,512

Living in Chita costs roughly 6% less than in Novosibirsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chita 20% lower, Novosibirsk 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 ₽881

$11.60 ₽938

-6.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.76 ₽3,134

$48.68 ₽3,936

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ₽455

$6.27 ₽507

-10.21%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ₽210

$2.81 ₽227

-7.83%

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

$1.24 ₽99.9

$1.18 ₽95.5

5.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₽48.29

$0.58 ₽47.04

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 ₽152

$1.23 ₽99.3

52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₽265

$3.61 ₽292

-9.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽93.9

$1.23 ₽99.6

-5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₽63.8

$0.72 ₽58.5

9.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ₽103

$1.48 ₽120

-14.19%

Eggs

$1.62 ₽131

$1.73 ₽140

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 ₽923

$11.99 ₽970

-4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 ₽455

$5.00 ₽405

12.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 ₽934

$12.33 ₽997

-6.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₽149

$1.91 ₽155

-3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₽152

$1.79 ₽145

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₽131

$2.06 ₽167

-21.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 ₽237

$3.36 ₽272

-12.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ₽58.9

$0.82 ₽66.7

-10.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽53.5

$0.61 ₽49.50

8.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ₽120

$1.55 ₽125

-3.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽68.3

$0.83 ₽67.4

2.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ₽254

$3.17 ₽256

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 ₽655

$10.66 ₽862

-24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₽102

$1.00 ₽80.7

26.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽189

$1.70 ₽138

37.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₽40.76

$0.55 ₽44.29

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.70 ₽2,078

$32.41 ₽2,621

-20.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ₽179

$2.54 ₽205

-12.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽26.94

$0.52 ₽42.11

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 ₽468

$6.21 ₽502

-6.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₽75.4

$0.82 ₽66.7

13.41%

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

$61.2K ₽5.0M

$43.9K ₽3.5M

39.55%

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

$39.8K ₽3.2M

$39.4K ₽3.2M

1.13%

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

$124 ₽10.1K

$111 ₽9,000

11.80%

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

$6.48 ₽524

$7.18 ₽581

-9.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.59 ₽695

$8.33 ₽673

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.00 ₽2,588

$38.16 ₽3,086

-16.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 ₽2,170

$30.42 ₽2,460

-11.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 ₽570

$7.41 ₽599

-4.86%

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

$326 ₽26.3K

$312 ₽25.2K

4.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,900 ₽557.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 ₽6,508

$71.9 ₽5,816

11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 ₽4,991

$47.55 ₽3,844

29.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₽10.5K

$144 ₽11.7K

-10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₽9,159

$100 ₽8,123

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₽38.9K

$570 ₽46.1K

-15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₽25.8K

$379 ₽30.6K

-15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 ₽75.8K

$1,022 ₽82.6K

-8.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 ₽50.2K

$692 ₽56.0K

-10.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,532 ₽204.7K

$2,446 ₽197.8K

3.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,436 ₽116.1K

$1,869 ₽151.1K

-23.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 ₽36.7K

$922 ₽74.6K

-50.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.45

22.83

-6.04%

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

Last update for Chita: October 26, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chita

$319 29.4%

Novosibirsk

$379 32.8% 18.6% $60

Groceries & Markets

Chita

$217 20%

Novosibirsk

$225 19.5% 4.1% $8.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chita

$173 16%

Novosibirsk

$164 14.2% 5.3% $9.2

Eating Out

Chita

$158 14.6%

Novosibirsk

$166 14.4% 4.5% $7.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chita

$140 12.9%

Novosibirsk

$127 11% 9.1% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chita

$46 4.3%

Novosibirsk

$53 4.6% 14.9% $6.9

Getting Around

Chita

$32 2.9%

Novosibirsk

$40 3.5% 25.8% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chita and $570 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays about 2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $39 in Chita vs $49 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $225 per month, with Chita cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Chita

🇷🇺 Novosibirsk

🕒 Local time

04:06 4:06 AM

02:06 2:06 AM

2 h behind Chita

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

333,679

1,620,162

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chita Novosibirsk 2,030 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chita
Novosibirsk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chita vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,085 in Chita and $1,153 in Novosibirsk, so Chita is about 6% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Chita. 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: $481 in Chita versus $570 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chita – a meal for two runs $39 versus $49 in Novosibirsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Chita gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.