Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Chita Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Chita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,117 in Novosibirsk versus $997 in Chita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,769 in Novosibirsk versus $1,564 in Chita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,422 in Novosibirsk versus $2,131 in Chita.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 12% more expensive than in Chita, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 18% lower, Chita 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₽1,004

$11.77 ₽995

0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.77 ₽3,530

$36.90 ₽3,119

13.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ₽515

$6.03 ₽510

1.00%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₽209

$2.35 ₽199

5.11%

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

$1.13 ₽95.5

$1.26 ₽107

-10.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽51.7

$0.63 ₽52.8

-3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ₽102

$1.59 ₽134

-23.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ₽308

$2.94 ₽248

23.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.16 ₽98.3

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₽60.2

$0.69 ₽58.0

2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ₽128

$1.30 ₽110

16.15%

Eggs

$1.67 ₽141

$1.47 ₽124

13.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 ₽990

$11.66 ₽985

0.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₽409

$5.06 ₽428

-4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ₽957

$10.54 ₽891

7.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₽163

$1.63 ₽138

18.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₽139

$1.78 ₽151

-7.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₽157

$1.87 ₽158

-1.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 ₽261

$2.79 ₽236

10.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₽69.2

$0.66 ₽56.0

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽55.6

$0.54 ₽45.98

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₽130

$1.45 ₽123

6.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽60.7

$0.66 ₽55.8

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 ₽255

$2.97 ₽251

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.50 ₽887

$8.27 ₽699

26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₽86.5

$1.14 ₽96.0

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₽154

$2.19 ₽185

-16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₽43.60

$0.47 ₽39.56

10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.29 ₽2,391

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₽177

$2.34 ₽198

-10.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ₽40.58

$0.32 ₽26.92

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ₽499

$5.98 ₽505

-1.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽69.4

$0.87 ₽73.8

-5.75%

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

$23.6K ₽2.0M

$30.2K ₽2.6M

-21.90%

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

$33.4K ₽2.8M

$36.4K ₽3.1M

-8.13%

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

$110 ₽9,335

$119 ₽10.1K

-7.18%

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

$7.22 ₽610

$5.94 ₽502

21.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.60 ₽727

$8.29 ₽701

3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.70 ₽3,271

$38.02 ₽3,213

1.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.34 ₽2,480

$26.27 ₽2,220

11.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 ₽612

$5.71 ₽483

26.80%

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

$292 ₽24.7K

$322 ₽27.2K

-9.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,462 ₽546.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ₽5,800

$64.3 ₽5,434

6.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.23 ₽3,907

$52.6 ₽4,445

-12.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₽10.6K

$103 ₽8,720

21.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 ₽8,071

$109 ₽9,195

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 ₽47.3K

$460 ₽38.8K

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₽32.9K

$318 ₽26.9K

22.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₽83.7K

$825 ₽69.7K

20.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₽59.6K

$578 ₽48.8K

22.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,424 ₽204.9K

$2,220 ₽187.6K

9.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,794 ₽151.6K

$1,471 ₽124.3K

21.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$868 ₽73.3K

$420 ₽35.5K

106.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

14.15%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chita: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $560 in Novosibirsk and $460 in Chita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 106% 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: $42.00 in Novosibirsk vs $37.00 in Chita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $205 per month, with Chita 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 Chita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novosibirsk and Chita differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,117 vs $997 including rent). Chita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 106% higher in Novosibirsk, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $560 in Novosibirsk versus $460 in Chita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,117 per month in Novosibirsk versus $997 in Chita – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Chita versus $1,117 in Novosibirsk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chita but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Chita 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 Chita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.