Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Arzamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Arzamas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $994 in Novosibirsk versus $954 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Novosibirsk versus $1,466 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,241 in Novosibirsk versus $1,978 in Arzamas.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 4% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Arzamas 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 ₽613

$9.35 ₽745

-17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.77 ₽3,006

$37.43 ₽2,979

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₽407

$5.73 ₽456

-10.82%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ₽226

$2.25 ₽179

26.22%

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

$1.34 ₽107

$1.12 ₽88.8

19.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽64.7

$0.51 ₽40.67

58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ₽198

$1.40 ₽112

77.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ₽305

$2.49 ₽198

53.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽83.2

$1.12 ₽88.8

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₽47.85

$0.65 ₽52.1

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ₽128

$1.37 ₽109

16.79%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽142

$1.70 ₽135

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 ₽877

$10.80 ₽859

2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₽407

$4.92 ₽391

3.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.27 ₽817

$8.71 ₽693

17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₽159

$1.72 ₽137

16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₽153

$1.88 ₽150

2.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₽153

$1.98 ₽157

-3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 ₽269

$2.71 ₽215

24.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₽62.9

$0.83 ₽66.2

-4.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽52.7

$0.66 ₽52.9

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₽86.4

$1.40 ₽112

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.8

$0.72 ₽57.3

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₽244

$2.85 ₽227

7.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₽757

$6.46 ₽514

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽73.4

$1.01 ₽80.0

-8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₽165

$1.88 ₽150

10.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽41.91

$0.53 ₽42.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.63 ₽2,517

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₽155

$1.91 ₽152

2.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₽21.59

$0.33 ₽26.23

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 ₽296

$6.51 ₽518

-42.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽59.6

$0.77 ₽61.3

-2.60%

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

$55.6K ₽4.4M

$33.9K ₽2.7M

64.12%

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

$26.2K ₽2.1M

$35.4K ₽2.8M

-25.86%

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

$108 ₽8,586

$107 ₽8,553

0.38%

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

$5.36 ₽427

$5.82 ₽463

-7.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₽686

$7.94 ₽632

8.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.4 ₽4,730

$35.86 ₽2,854

65.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.96 ₽1,986

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ₽485

$5.11 ₽407

19.18%

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

$347 ₽27.6K

$325 ₽25.9K

6.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,719 ₽375.6K

$7,044 ₽560.7K

-33.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 ₽5,527

$70.2 ₽5,587

-1.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 ₽3,115

$45.06 ₽3,586

-13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ₽7,623

$114 ₽9,058

-15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 ₽6,248

$106 ₽8,408

-25.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₽37.8K

$448 ₽35.6K

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₽24.4K

$300 ₽23.9K

2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₽66.1K

$758 ₽60.3K

9.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 ₽50.7K

$501 ₽39.9K

27.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,715 ₽216.1K

$2,008 ₽159.8K

35.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 ₽138.8K

$1,434 ₽114.1K

21.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$833 ₽66.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

15.33

13.37%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Novosibirsk and $448 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $37.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $194 per month, with Arzamas cheaper across the board.

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

Novosibirsk and Arzamas differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($994 vs $954 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,491 in Novosibirsk and $1,431 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: $475 in Novosibirsk versus $448 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $994 per month in Novosibirsk versus $954 in Arzamas – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Arzamas versus $994 in Novosibirsk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 4% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.