Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Novosibirsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Novosibirsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Moscow vs $1,000 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,643 per month in Moscow vs $1,614 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,603 per month in Moscow vs $2,227 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 68% more than Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Novosibirsk is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽996

$7.39 ₽581

71.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,500

$37.91 ₽2,978

51.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$5.22 ₽410

22.99%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$2.80 ₽220

19.29%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.33 ₽105

4.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.2

$0.80 ₽63.0

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$2.51 ₽197

76.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$3.74 ₽294

17.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽100.0

$1.05 ₽82.4

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.3

$0.62 ₽48.34

41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.60 ₽126

5.62%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$1.90 ₽149

1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$11.01 ₽865

21.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽483

$5.13 ₽403

19.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽964

$10.26 ₽806

19.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$2.01 ₽158

-3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽163

$1.83 ₽144

13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$1.99 ₽157

16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽330

$3.45 ₽271

21.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.4

$0.78 ₽61.4

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.5

$0.66 ₽51.9

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$1.08 ₽85.2

53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$0.67 ₽52.6

11.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$3.20 ₽251

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$9.58 ₽752

33.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$0.92 ₽72.6

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$2.12 ₽166

10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.0

$0.53 ₽41.97

64.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,934

$31.18 ₽2,449

19.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$1.88 ₽148

36.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.64

$0.25 ₽19.46

76.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$3.88 ₽305

107.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$0.70 ₽55.2

14.29%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$56.4K ₽4.4M

-33.02%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$26.8K ₽2.1M

34.67%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

$107 ₽8,429

39.54%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$5.61 ₽441

45.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽639

$8.43 ₽662

-3.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,755

$59.7 ₽4,687

-19.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,768

$24.44 ₽1,920

44.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽498

$5.89 ₽463

7.47%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$354 ₽27.8K

96.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$4,706 ₽369.7K

215.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,859

$67.7 ₽5,320

28.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,158

$39.96 ₽3,139

32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

$95.1 ₽7,474

38.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.9K

$79.0 ₽6,203

107.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.7K

$467 ₽36.7K

188.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$302 ₽23.8K

150.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.8K

$841 ₽66.1K

252.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.8K

$656 ₽51.5K

111.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽865.0K

$2,755 ₽216.4K

299.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.3K

$1,780 ₽139.8K

163.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.8K

$846 ₽66.5K

110.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

17.38

40.33%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Moscow versus $467 in Novosibirsk. 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 110% 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 $57.0 in Moscow versus $38.00 in Novosibirsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $210 – making Novosibirsk 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 Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 68% more than Novosibirsk, 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 $2,525 per month in Moscow and $1,501 in Novosibirsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 20% less in Novosibirsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $694 per month in Moscow and $354 in Novosibirsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Novosibirsk, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Moscow at $1,683. In Novosibirsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Novosibirsk costs $1,000 versus $1,683 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 Novosibirsk. 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.