Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Kostroma

For one person, living is cheaper in Novosibirsk: $1,121 a month against $1,312 in Kostroma, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Novosibirsk
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Novosibirsk Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Kostroma
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Kostroma Living Index

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Novosibirsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,121

/mo nomad

Kostroma

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,312

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novosibirsk and in Kostroma

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 Kostroma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Novosibirsk vs $1,312 in Kostroma, rent included.

Novosibirsk $1,121
Kostroma $1,312

A couple spends around $1,786 per month in Novosibirsk vs $2,085 in Kostroma, rent included.

Novosibirsk $1,786
Kostroma $2,085

A family of three spends $2,451 per month in Novosibirsk vs $2,859 in Kostroma, rent included.

Novosibirsk $2,451
Kostroma $2,859

Novosibirsk is about 15% cheaper than Kostroma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Novosibirsk and Kostroma are more affordable than the global median – Novosibirsk 17% lower, Kostroma 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₽962

$12.01 ₽1,002

-4.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.38 ₽4,038

$61.1 ₽5,102

-20.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 ₽506

$7.20 ₽601

-15.83%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₽222

$3.91 ₽326

-31.97%

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

$1.11 ₽92.7

$1.62 ₽136

-31.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽47.92

$0.85 ₽71.1

-32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₽98.5

$1.80 ₽150

-34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₽300

$5.29 ₽441

-31.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽100

$1.24 ₽103

-3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ₽58.5

$1.01 ₽84.3

-30.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₽114

$1.68 ₽140

-18.45%

Eggs

$1.61 ₽135

$1.88 ₽157

-14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 ₽1,007

$14.95 ₽1,248

-19.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 ₽401

$6.93 ₽578

-30.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 ₽1,002

$14.95 ₽1,248

-19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₽164

$2.17 ₽181

-9.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₽149

$1.82 ₽152

-2.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ₽163

$1.98 ₽165

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 ₽275

$3.96 ₽330

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽73.0

$0.89 ₽74.0

-2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽50.0

$0.70 ₽58.7

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 ₽122

$1.65 ₽137

-10.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽66.6

$0.93 ₽78.0

-13.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ₽266

$3.49 ₽291

-8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 ₽846

$12.31 ₽1,027

-17.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₽79.4

$1.22 ₽102

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₽138

$2.54 ₽212

-35.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₽46.81

$0.54 ₽45.15

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ₽2,453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₽201

$3.62 ₽302

-33.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 ₽41.11

$0.34 ₽28.73

44.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ₽514

$11.94 ₽996

-48.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₽73.1

$0.88 ₽73.3

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

$42.8K ₽3.6M

$42.4K ₽3.5M

1.12%

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

$38.8K ₽3.2M

$40.1K ₽3.3M

-3.30%

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

$109 ₽9,089

$191 ₽16.0K

-43.08%

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

$7.32 ₽611

$8.70 ₽726

-15.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.35 ₽697

$9.88 ₽825

-15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.80 ₽3,155

$40.32 ₽3,365

-6.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.99 ₽2,503

$25.01 ₽2,087

19.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 ₽609

$9.47 ₽791

-23.02%

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

$303 ₽25.3K

$344 ₽28.7K

-11.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,317 ₽527.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 ₽5,865

$114 ₽9,511

-38.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.16 ₽3,852

$67.6 ₽5,645

-31.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 ₽11.7K

$148 ₽12.3K

-5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 ₽8,201

$189 ₽15.8K

-48.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 ₽45.6K

$500 ₽41.8K

9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 ₽30.6K

$340 ₽28.3K

7.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 ₽84.8K

$837 ₽69.9K

21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 ₽56.1K

$643 ₽53.6K

4.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,352 ₽196.3K

$2,226 ₽185.8K

5.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,778 ₽148.4K

$1,489 ₽124.3K

19.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₽74.0K

$762 ₽63.6K

16.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

19.56

16.72%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 20, 2026

Last update for Kostroma: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Novosibirsk

$367 32.7%

Kostroma

$340 25.9% 7.4% $27

Groceries & Markets

Novosibirsk

$220 19.6%

Kostroma

$268 20.4% 22.1% $49

Eating Out

Novosibirsk

$162 14.5%

Kostroma

$194 14.8% 19.7% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Novosibirsk

$160 14.2%

Kostroma

$233 17.8% 46.2% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novosibirsk

$125 11.1%

Kostroma

$210 16% 68.5% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Novosibirsk

$52 4.7%

Kostroma

$59 4.5% 13.2% $6.9

Getting Around

Novosibirsk

$37 3.3%

Kostroma

$7.5 * 0.6% 79.5% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Novosibirsk versus $500 in Kostroma. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Novosibirsk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Novosibirsk versus $61.0 in Kostroma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $268 – making Novosibirsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Novosibirsk

🇷🇺 Kostroma

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

14:40 2:40 PM

4 h behind Novosibirsk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,620,162

277,393

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Novosibirsk Kostroma 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Novosibirsk
Kostroma

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 Kostroma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kostroma costs about 17% more than Novosibirsk, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,682 per month in Novosibirsk and $1,968 in Kostroma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novosibirsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Novosibirsk and $61.0 in Kostroma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Kostroma, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Novosibirsk, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in Kostroma at $1,312. In Novosibirsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kostroma it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novosibirsk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Novosibirsk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kostroma makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.