Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizhny Novgorod and Port Elizabeth Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizhny Novgorod and Port Elizabeth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,110 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $1,167 in Port Elizabeth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $1,849 in Port Elizabeth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,394 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $2,532 in Port Elizabeth.

Living in Nizhny Novgorod costs roughly 5% less than in Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nizhny Novgorod 17% lower, Port Elizabeth 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.25 ₽879
$8.89 R 146
26.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.61 ₽2,938
$44.06 R 724
-14.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.63 ₽440
$5.36 R 88.2
5.04%
Cappuccino
$2.61 ₽204
$2.14 R 35.22
21.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 ₽97.5
$1.14 R 18.70
9.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₽35.72
$1.00 R 16.38
-54.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 ₽78.8
$2.56 R 42.11
-60.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 ₽244
$3.02 R 49.69
3.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 ₽82.3
$1.12 R 18.40
-6.25%
White Bread (500g)
$0.61 ₽47.93
$0.95 R 15.67
-35.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 ₽106
$1.50 R 24.63
-9.33%
Eggs
$1.59 ₽124
$2.45 R 40.30
-35.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.52 ₽822
$7.79 R 128
35.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.77 ₽373
$4.74 R 78.0
0.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.73 ₽682
$8.03 R 132
8.72%
Apples (1kg)
$1.73 ₽135
$1.64 R 26.89
5.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ₽132
$1.42 R 23.40
19.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 ₽151
$1.63 R 26.82
18.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.53 ₽198
$1.63 R 26.72
55.21%
Potato (1kg)
$0.70 ₽55.1
$1.55 R 25.55
-54.84%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 ₽55.2
$1.12 R 18.45
-36.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 ₽96.4
$1.17 R 19.29
5.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ₽60.9
$1.01 R 16.57
-22.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.87 ₽224
$2.95 R 48.41
-2.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.65 ₽754
$4.86 R 79.8
98.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 ₽91.8
$1.10 R 18.09
7.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 ₽169
$1.72 R 28.20
25.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.49 ₽38.09
$1.13 R 18.61
-56.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.95 ₽1,324
$34.27 R 563
-50.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.95 ₽152
$2.67 R 43.87
-26.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 ₽46.31
$0.45 R 7.42
31.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.63 ₽596
$7.95 R 131
-4.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.77 ₽59.8
$1.27 R 20.83
-39.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.9K ₽3.2M
$23.9K R 393.4K
71.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K ₽2.5M
$25.8K R 423.5K
22.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 ₽8,627
$114 R 1,879
-3.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.73 ₽448
$31.86 R 524
-82.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.22 ₽564
$44.72 R 735
-83.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.19 ₽2,515
$29.14 R 479
10.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.25 ₽1,270
$21.28 R 350
-23.64%
Cinema Ticket
$6.31 ₽493
$9.73 R 160
-35.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$332 ₽25.9K
$168 R 2,763
97.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,908 ₽305.3K
$4,835 R 79.5K
-19.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.9 ₽6,401
$67.2 R 1,105
21.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.6 ₽5,982
$37.20 R 612
105.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$143 ₽11.2K
$96.6 R 1,588
48.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 ₽8,768
$89.0 R 1,462
26.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$590 ₽46.1K
$584 R 9,602
0.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$372 ₽29.1K
$438 R 7,192
-14.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ₽78.6K
$1,097 R 18.0K
-8.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$740 ₽57.8K
$870 R 14.3K
-14.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,995 ₽312.1K
$772 R 12.7K
417.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,491 ₽194.6K
$525 R 8,636
374.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nizhny Novgorod
Port Elizabeth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$923 ₽72.1K
$1,623 R 26.7K
-43.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.46
12.04
36.71%

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

Last update for Nizhny Novgorod: July 12, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Nizhny Novgorod and $584 in Port Elizabeth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Elizabeth pays 76% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Nizhny Novgorod vs $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $181, with Port Elizabeth cheaper for home cooking.

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
Nizhny Novgorod vs Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port Elizabeth cheaper than Nizhny Novgorod?
Nizhny Novgorod is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Nizhny Novgorod or Port Elizabeth?
On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Port Elizabeth. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Nizhny Novgorod and Port Elizabeth?
Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $584 in Port Elizabeth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $332 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $168 in Port Elizabeth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Nizhny Novgorod and in Port Elizabeth?
Shoppers in Port Elizabeth pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nizhny Novgorod or in Port Elizabeth?
At $1,110 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $1,167 in Port Elizabeth, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizhny Novgorod but tight or insufficient in Port Elizabeth. The gap between the two cities makes Nizhny Novgorod the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nizhny Novgorod or Port Elizabeth more family-friendly?
For families, Nizhny Novgorod is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Port Elizabeth, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Nizhny Novgorod gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Port Elizabeth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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