Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Kurgan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kurgan: $593 a month against $1,105 in Novosibirsk, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,105
/mo nomad
Kurgan
🇷🇺 Russia
$593
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novosibirsk and in Kurgan

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

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Novosibirsk vs $593 in Kurgan, rent included.

  • Novosibirsk $1,105
  • Kurgan $593

A couple spends around $1,760 per month in Novosibirsk vs $958 in Kurgan, rent included.

  • Novosibirsk $1,760
  • Kurgan $958

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Novosibirsk vs $1,322 in Kurgan, rent included.

  • Novosibirsk $2,416
  • Kurgan $1,322

Novosibirsk costs about 86% more than Kurgan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Novosibirsk and Kurgan are more affordable than the global median – Novosibirsk 18% lower, Kurgan 56% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.39 ₽951
$8.38 ₽699
35.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.13 ₽4,017
$28.46 ₽2,375
69.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.87 ₽490
$5.46 ₽456
7.51%
Cappuccino
$2.75 ₽229
$2.67 ₽223
3.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₽92.0
$1.13 ₽94.3
-2.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₽46.98
$0.61 ₽51.0
-8.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.22 ₽102
$3.51 ₽293
-65.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65 ₽305
$4.85 ₽405
-24.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 ₽100
$1.10 ₽92.2
9.09%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 ₽54.8
$0.79 ₽65.8
-16.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 ₽113
$1.23 ₽102
9.76%
Eggs
$1.65 ₽137
$1.45 ₽121
13.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.69 ₽976
$10.58 ₽883
10.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.59 ₽383
$4.64 ₽387
-1.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.87 ₽991
$11.53 ₽963
2.95%
Apples (1kg)
$1.87 ₽156
$1.92 ₽160
-2.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 ₽145
$1.84 ₽154
-5.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 ₽166
$2.04 ₽170
-2.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 ₽271
$2.58 ₽216
25.97%
Potato (1kg)
$0.79 ₽66.1
$0.80 ₽66.5
-1.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 ₽52.7
$0.73 ₽60.6
-13.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 ₽121
$1.81 ₽151
-19.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₽67.1
$0.56 ₽46.83
42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.16 ₽264
$2.88 ₽240
9.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.04 ₽838
$6.32 ₽528
58.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ₽78.3
$0.91 ₽76.1
3.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ₽141
$1.77 ₽147
-4.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 ₽46.02
$0.51 ₽42.23
7.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.65 ₽2,391
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.43 ₽203
$2.40 ₽200
1.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.50 ₽41.34
$0.59 ₽49.05
-15.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.88 ₽491
$7.32 ₽611
-19.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 ₽66.6
$0.86 ₽72.0
-6.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K ₽2.0M
$35.7K ₽3.0M
-31.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K ₽2.8M
$38.1K ₽3.2M
-13.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$108 ₽9,012
$93.2 ₽7,778
15.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.19 ₽600
$6.63 ₽553
8.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.18 ₽683
$8.70 ₽726
-5.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.00 ₽3,004
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.88 ₽2,494
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.95 ₽580
$4.29 ₽358
62.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 ₽24.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7 ₽5,732
$95.0 ₽7,925
-27.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.29 ₽3,863
$29.51 ₽2,463
56.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 ₽11.5K
$87.7 ₽7,321
57.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.7 ₽8,073
$53.4 ₽4,456
81.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$530 ₽44.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 ₽30.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 ₽83.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$662 ₽55.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,307 ₽192.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,766 ₽147.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novosibirsk
Kurgan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₽72.1K
$950 ₽79.3K
-9.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.83
20.32
12.35%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kurgan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
$361
Kurgan
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
$215
Kurgan
$199 7.4% $16
Eating Out
Novosibirsk
$162
Kurgan
$150 7.5% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
$157
Kurgan
$120 24% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
$123
Kurgan
$109 12% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
$50
Kurgan
$8.6 * 82.8% $41
Getting Around
Novosibirsk
$36
Kurgan
$7.4 * 79.4% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 10% higher in Kurgan, 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 $28.00 in Kurgan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $199 – making Kurgan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Kurgan
🕒 Local time
00:49 12:49 AM
22:49 10:49 PM
2 h behind Novosibirsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,620,162
309,285
💱 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
  • Novosibirsk Kurgan 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Novosibirsk
  • Kurgan

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 Kurgan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kurgan cheaper than Novosibirsk?
Yes – Novosibirsk is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,657 per month in Novosibirsk and $890 in Kurgan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Novosibirsk and in Kurgan?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Novosibirsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Novosibirsk or in Kurgan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Novosibirsk and $28.00 in Kurgan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Novosibirsk or in Kurgan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kurgan, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Novosibirsk at $1,105. In Kurgan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novosibirsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Novosibirsk or Kurgan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kurgan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kurgan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Novosibirsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Novosibirsk vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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