Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Arzamas

For one person, living is cheaper in Arzamas: $1,117 a month against $1,153 in Novosibirsk, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Novosibirsk
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Novosibirsk Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Arzamas
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Arzamas Living Index

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Novosibirsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,153

/mo nomad

Arzamas

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novosibirsk and in Arzamas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Novosibirsk and in Arzamas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,153 in Novosibirsk versus $1,117 in Arzamas.

Novosibirsk $1,153
Arzamas $1,117

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,833 in Novosibirsk versus $1,737 in Arzamas.

Novosibirsk $1,833
Arzamas $1,737

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,512 in Novosibirsk versus $2,357 in Arzamas.

Novosibirsk $2,512
Arzamas $2,357

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 3% more expensive than in Arzamas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 15% lower, Arzamas 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 ₽934

$12.60 ₽1,015

-7.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 ₽3,920

$38.36 ₽3,090

26.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ₽505

$6.10 ₽491

2.79%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ₽226

$2.65 ₽214

6.04%

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

$1.18 ₽95.1

$1.08 ₽86.9

9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽46.85

$0.66 ₽52.9

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₽98.9

$1.90 ₽153

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₽290

$3.22 ₽260

12.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₽99.2

$1.30 ₽105

-5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₽58.3

$0.79 ₽63.8

-8.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₽119

$1.57 ₽127

-5.73%

Eggs

$1.73 ₽140

$1.68 ₽136

2.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 ₽966

$9.96 ₽802

20.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 ₽403

$5.69 ₽458

-12.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 ₽993

$12.43 ₽1,001

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ₽154

$1.79 ₽144

6.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽144

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ₽166

$1.58 ₽127

30.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 ₽271

$3.03 ₽244

10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₽66.4

$0.77 ₽61.9

6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 ₽49.30

$0.54 ₽43.79

12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 ₽125

$1.31 ₽105

18.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₽67.1

$0.73 ₽59.0

13.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ₽255

$2.69 ₽216

17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₽858

$8.28 ₽667

28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽80.4

$1.20 ₽97.0

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₽137

$2.06 ₽166

-17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₽44.11

$0.51 ₽40.90

7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 ₽2,610

$26.27 ₽2,115

23.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₽204

$2.27 ₽183

11.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₽41.94

$0.34 ₽27.10

52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 ₽500

$5.64 ₽454

10.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽66.4

$0.92 ₽74.5

-10.87%

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

$43.9K ₽3.5M

$60.6K ₽4.9M

-27.58%

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

$39.4K ₽3.2M

$41.2K ₽3.3M

-4.35%

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

$111 ₽8,964

$143 ₽11.5K

-21.97%

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

$7.18 ₽578

$7.06 ₽568

1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.33 ₽670

$7.59 ₽611

9.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.16 ₽3,073

$36.06 ₽2,904

5.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.42 ₽2,450

$25.44 ₽2,049

19.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 ₽596

$6.94 ₽559

6.77%

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

$312 ₽25.1K

$373 ₽30.1K

-16.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,263 ₽584.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 ₽5,793

$76.4 ₽6,156

-5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.55 ₽3,829

$51.3 ₽4,128

-7.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 ₽11.6K

$116 ₽9,369

24.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ₽8,091

$113 ₽9,109

-11.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 ₽45.9K

$303 ₽24.4K

87.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ₽30.5K

$328 ₽26.4K

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 ₽82.3K

$497 ₽40.0K

105.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₽55.8K

$596 ₽48.0K

16.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,446 ₽197.0K

$2,238 ₽180.2K

9.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,869 ₽150.5K

$1,752 ₽141.1K

6.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 ₽74.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

21.45

6.43%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 24, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Novosibirsk

$379 32.8%

Arzamas

$328 29.4% 13.3% $51

Groceries & Markets

Novosibirsk

$225 19.5%

Arzamas

$215 19.2% 4.7% $11

Eating Out

Novosibirsk

$166 14.4%

Arzamas

$174 15.6% 4.9% $8.1

Clothing & Footwear

Novosibirsk

$164 14.2%

Arzamas

$161 14.4% 2% $3.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novosibirsk

$127 11%

Arzamas

$157 14.1% 24% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Novosibirsk

$53 4.6%

Arzamas

$50 4.5% 5.7% $3

Getting Around

Novosibirsk

$40 3.5%

Arzamas

$32 2.9% 18.8% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $570 in Novosibirsk and $303 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49 in Novosibirsk vs $38 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $215 per month, with Arzamas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Novosibirsk

🇷🇺 Arzamas

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

06:48 6:48 AM

4 h behind Novosibirsk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,620,162

103,396

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Novosibirsk Arzamas 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Novosibirsk
Arzamas

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

Novosibirsk vs Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,153 in Novosibirsk and $1,117 in Arzamas, so Arzamas is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,730 in Novosibirsk and $1,676 in Arzamas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $570 in Novosibirsk versus $303 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,153 per month in Novosibirsk versus $1,117 in Arzamas – Arzamas is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Arzamas runs roughly 19% less than in Novosibirsk. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Arzamas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.