Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Novokuznetsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Novokuznetsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,763 per month in Moscow vs $1,015 in Novokuznetsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,760 per month in Moscow vs $1,702 in Novokuznetsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Moscow vs $2,389 in Novokuznetsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 74% more than Novokuznetsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 29% above the global median, while Novokuznetsk is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.93 ₽1,008

$9.68 ₽818

23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₽5,033

$47.00 ₽3,971

26.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ₽617

$6.49 ₽548

12.63%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₽310

$2.49 ₽211

47.39%

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

$1.52 ₽128

$1.09 ₽92.0

39.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽66.3

$0.50 ₽41.92

58.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 ₽403

$1.15 ₽97.2

313.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₽401

$2.40 ₽202

97.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.15 ₽96.9

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₽82.9

$0.72 ₽61.0

36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽143

$1.39 ₽118

21.58%

Eggs

$1.83 ₽155

$1.56 ₽132

17.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 ₽1,148

$10.58 ₽894

28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₽528

$5.01 ₽423

24.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 ₽1,190

$10.51 ₽888

34.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽175

$2.04 ₽173

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽153

$1.68 ₽142

7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽164

$2.14 ₽181

-9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ₽349

$3.78 ₽319

9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ₽77.0

$0.86 ₽72.7

5.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽55.2

$0.57 ₽48.47

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₽136

$0.89 ₽75.5

79.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽73.3

$0.78 ₽65.5

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₽284

$3.14 ₽265

7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 ₽989

$5.84 ₽494

100.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽96.7

$1.33 ₽112

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₽206

$3.02 ₽255

-19.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽81.3

$0.55 ₽46.25

74.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 ₽3,400

$29.47 ₽2,490

36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₽305

$1.82 ₽154

98.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₽61.0

$0.60 ₽50.9

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 ₽897

$8.26 ₽698

28.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽69.9

$0.83 ₽70.3

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

$37.8K ₽3.2M

$26.0K ₽2.2M

45.52%

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

$37.5K ₽3.2M

$27.8K ₽2.3M

35.23%

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

$183 ₽15.5K

$142 ₽12.0K

28.69%

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

$8.74 ₽739

$5.87 ₽496

48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.74 ₽823

$7.04 ₽595

38.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 ₽3,375

$50.2 ₽4,239

-20.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 ₽3,683

$29.46 ₽2,489

47.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ₽714

$5.89 ₽497

43.46%

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

$784 ₽66.2K

$692 ₽58.5K

13.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ₽2.2M

$16.8K ₽1.4M

53.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₽8,582

$64.3 ₽5,435

57.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ₽5,194

$51.4 ₽4,345

19.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ₽12.4K

$95.8 ₽8,093

53.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 ₽14.7K

$95.7 ₽8,085

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 ₽123.3K

$448 ₽37.9K

225.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽65.6K

$301 ₽25.4K

158.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,970 ₽251.0K

$949 ₽80.2K

213.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 ₽120.6K

$669 ₽56.6K

113.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽883.8K

$2,151 ₽181.7K

386.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,624 ₽390.7K

$1,466 ₽123.8K

215.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,756 ₽148.4K

$553 ₽46.7K

217.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.52

23.67

-17.53%

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

Last update for Moscow: September 12, 2026

Last update for Novokuznetsk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,459 in Moscow versus $448 in Novokuznetsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 218% higher in Moscow, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Moscow versus $47.00 in Novokuznetsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $208 – making Novokuznetsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Moscow vs Novokuznetsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 74% more than Novokuznetsk, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,645 per month in Moscow and $1,523 in Novokuznetsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novokuznetsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Novokuznetsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Moscow and $692 in Novokuznetsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Novokuznetsk, where all-in costs run around $1,015, than in Moscow at $1,763. In Novokuznetsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Novokuznetsk costs $1,015 versus $1,763 in Moscow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Novokuznetsk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.