Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novokuznetsk and Novosibirsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Novosibirsk: $1,105 a month against $1,382 in Novokuznetsk, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Novokuznetsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,382
/mo nomad
Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,105
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,382 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,105 in Novosibirsk.

  • Novokuznetsk $1,382
  • Novosibirsk $1,105

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,238 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,760 in Novosibirsk.

  • Novokuznetsk $2,238
  • Novosibirsk $1,760

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,093 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,416 in Novosibirsk.

  • Novokuznetsk $3,093
  • Novosibirsk $2,416

Living in Novokuznetsk is roughly 25% more expensive than in Novosibirsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Novokuznetsk is 2% above, Novosibirsk is 18% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.84 ₽988
$11.39 ₽951
3.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.7 ₽4,901
$48.13 ₽4,017
22.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.69 ₽559
$5.87 ₽490
13.97%
Cappuccino
$2.51 ₽209
$2.75 ₽229
-8.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 ₽170
$1.10 ₽92.0
85.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 ₽95.4
$0.56 ₽46.98
103.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.10 ₽342
$1.22 ₽102
236.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.82 ₽486
$3.65 ₽305
59.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 ₽117
$1.20 ₽100
17.50%
White Bread (500g)
$0.81 ₽67.4
$0.66 ₽54.8
22.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.37 ₽114
$1.35 ₽113
1.48%
Eggs
$1.57 ₽131
$1.65 ₽137
-4.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.57 ₽715
$11.69 ₽976
-26.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.90 ₽576
$4.59 ₽383
50.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.35 ₽780
$11.87 ₽991
-21.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₽167
$1.87 ₽156
6.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 ₽189
$1.74 ₽145
29.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 ₽193
$1.99 ₽166
16.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.00 ₽334
$3.25 ₽271
23.08%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₽72.9
$0.79 ₽66.1
10.13%
Onion (1kg)
$0.59 ₽49.07
$0.63 ₽52.7
-6.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 ₽121
$1.45 ₽121
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₽56.3
$0.80 ₽67.1
-16.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.65 ₽305
$3.16 ₽264
15.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.90 ₽493
$10.04 ₽838
-41.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 ₽150
$0.94 ₽78.3
91.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ₽222
$1.69 ₽141
56.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 ₽47.78
$0.55 ₽46.02
3.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.95 ₽2,500
$28.65 ₽2,391
4.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 ₽145
$2.43 ₽203
-28.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 ₽48.43
$0.50 ₽41.34
16.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.88 ₽491
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 ₽68.1
$0.80 ₽66.6
2.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K ₽2.7M
$24.3K ₽2.0M
33.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K ₽2.8M
$33.0K ₽2.8M
2.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 ₽18.4K
$108 ₽9,012
104.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.98 ₽415
$7.19 ₽600
-30.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.36 ₽531
$8.18 ₽683
-22.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.6 ₽4,225
$36.00 ₽3,004
40.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.86 ₽2,325
$29.88 ₽2,494
-6.76%
Cinema Ticket
$7.32 ₽611
$6.95 ₽580
5.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$673 ₽56.2K
$299 ₽24.9K
125.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.4K ₽1.5M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$140 ₽11.7K
$68.7 ₽5,732
104.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$84.2 ₽7,029
$46.29 ₽3,863
81.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$181 ₽15.1K
$138 ₽11.5K
31.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$364 ₽30.4K
$96.7 ₽8,073
276.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$452 ₽37.7K
$530 ₽44.2K
-14.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$293 ₽24.4K
$361 ₽30.1K
-18.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$955 ₽79.7K
$1,004 ₽83.8K
-4.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 ₽56.0K
$662 ₽55.2K
1.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,205 ₽184.1K
$2,307 ₽192.5K
-4.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,479 ₽123.4K
$1,766 ₽147.4K
-16.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novokuznetsk
Novosibirsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$561 ₽46.9K
$864 ₽72.1K
-35.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.75
22.83
-0.35%

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

Last update for Novokuznetsk: October 12, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Clothing & Footwear
Novokuznetsk
$346
Novosibirsk
$157 54.6% $189
Accommodation & Living
Novokuznetsk
$293
Novosibirsk
$361 23.4% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novokuznetsk
$232
Novosibirsk
$123 46.9% $109
Groceries & Markets
Novokuznetsk
$219
Novosibirsk
$215 1.6% $3.4
Eating Out
Novokuznetsk
$190
Novosibirsk
$162 14.7% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Novokuznetsk
$65
Novosibirsk
$50 23.6% $15
Getting Around
Novokuznetsk
$37
Novosibirsk
$36 3% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Novokuznetsk and $530 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Novokuznetsk vs $48.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $215 per month, with Novosibirsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Novokuznetsk
🇷🇺 Novosibirsk
🕒 Local time
22:05 10:05 PM
22:05 10:05 PM
Same time as Novokuznetsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
544,583
1,620,162
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Novokuznetsk Novosibirsk 310 km
From you
  • Novokuznetsk
  • 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
Novokuznetsk vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Novokuznetsk and in Novosibirsk?
Novokuznetsk and Novosibirsk differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,382 vs $1,105 including rent). Novosibirsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Novosibirsk. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Novokuznetsk and in Novosibirsk?
Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Novokuznetsk versus $530 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Novosibirsk – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $59.0 in Novokuznetsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Novokuznetsk or Novosibirsk?
All in, you'll spend $1,382 per month in Novokuznetsk versus $1,105 in Novosibirsk – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,105 in Novosibirsk versus $1,382 in Novokuznetsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Novokuznetsk. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Novokuznetsk and Novosibirsk?
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.
Where should expats move: Novokuznetsk or Novosibirsk?
Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Novokuznetsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Novokuznetsk vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?