Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Novosibirsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Novosibirsk: $1,105 a month against $1,833 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
Learn more

Moscow Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Novosibirsk
Learn more

Novosibirsk Living Index

Jump to prices

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,833

/mo nomad

Novosibirsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow 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 Moscow and in Novosibirsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,833 per month in Moscow vs $1,105 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

Moscow $1,833
Novosibirsk $1,105

A couple spends around $2,835 per month in Moscow vs $1,760 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

Moscow $2,835
Novosibirsk $1,760

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Moscow vs $2,416 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

Moscow $3,837
Novosibirsk $2,416

Moscow costs about 66% more than Novosibirsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Moscow sits 36% above the global median, while Novosibirsk is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 ₽1,002

$11.39 ₽951

5.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₽4,987

$48.13 ₽4,017

24.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ₽582

$5.87 ₽490

18.74%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$2.75 ₽229

41.82%

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

$1.67 ₽140

$1.10 ₽92.0

51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₽73.1

$0.56 ₽46.98

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 ₽408

$1.22 ₽102

300.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ₽459

$3.65 ₽305

50.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽106

$1.20 ₽100

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.1

$0.66 ₽54.8

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽139

$1.35 ₽113

23.70%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽161

$1.65 ₽137

16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 ₽1,207

$11.69 ₽976

23.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 ₽558

$4.59 ₽383

45.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 ₽1,261

$11.87 ₽991

27.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ₽170

$1.87 ₽156

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽155

$1.74 ₽145

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ₽169

$1.99 ₽166

1.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ₽338

$3.25 ₽271

24.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₽76.9

$0.79 ₽66.1

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ₽62.5

$0.63 ₽52.7

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ₽136

$1.45 ₽121

12.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽76.0

$0.80 ₽67.1

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₽286

$3.16 ₽264

8.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 ₽999

$10.04 ₽838

19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽100

$0.94 ₽78.3

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽221

$1.69 ₽141

56.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽75.7

$0.55 ₽46.02

65.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 ₽3,449

$28.65 ₽2,391

44.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₽300

$2.43 ₽203

48.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₽71.1

$0.50 ₽41.34

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.10 ₽1,010

$5.88 ₽491

105.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₽72.8

$0.80 ₽66.6

8.75%

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

$39.3K ₽3.3M

$24.3K ₽2.0M

61.59%

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

$38.5K ₽3.2M

$33.0K ₽2.8M

16.66%

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

$191 ₽16.0K

$108 ₽9,012

77.32%

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

$8.65 ₽722

$7.19 ₽600

20.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 ₽850

$8.18 ₽683

24.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 ₽3,566

$36.00 ₽3,004

18.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.45 ₽3,710

$29.88 ₽2,494

48.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 ₽793

$6.95 ₽580

36.69%

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

$817 ₽68.2K

$299 ₽24.9K

173.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K ₽2.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 ₽9,172

$68.7 ₽5,732

60.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 ₽5,664

$46.29 ₽3,863

46.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 ₽12.2K

$138 ₽11.5K

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$96.7 ₽8,073

90.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 ₽125.1K

$530 ₽44.2K

182.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 ₽67.1K

$361 ₽30.1K

122.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 ₽256.0K

$1,004 ₽83.8K

205.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 ₽125.3K

$662 ₽55.2K

126.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K ₽855.4K

$2,307 ₽192.5K

344.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,709 ₽393.0K

$1,766 ₽147.4K

166.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ₽143.1K

$864 ₽72.1K

98.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.56

22.83

-14.32%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 11, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$804 43.9%

Novosibirsk

$361 32.7% 55.1% $443

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$266 14.5%

Novosibirsk

$215 19.5% 19% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$229 12.5%

Novosibirsk

$157 14.2% 31.2% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$210 11.5%

Novosibirsk

$123 11.2% 41.3% $87

Eating Out

Moscow

$209 11.4%

Novosibirsk

$162 14.7% 22.7% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.4%

Novosibirsk

$50 4.5% 19.2% $12

Getting Around

Moscow

$53 2.9%

Novosibirsk

$36 3.2% 32.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,499 in Moscow versus $530 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 99% 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 $48.00 in Novosibirsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $215 – making Novosibirsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Novosibirsk

🕒 Local time

22:26 10:26 PM

02:26 2:26 AM

4 h ahead of Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

1,620,162

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Moscow Novosibirsk 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

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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

Moscow vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 66% more than Novosibirsk, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,749 per month in Moscow and $1,657 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 44% less in Novosibirsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $817 per month in Moscow and $299 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 $1,105, than in Moscow at $1,833. 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 $1,105 versus $1,833 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.