Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Magadan

For one person, living is cheaper in Magadan: $1,085 a month against $1,153 in Novosibirsk, rent and utilities included – about $820 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Novosibirsk, Russia
Magadan, Russia
Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,153
/mo nomad
Magadan
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,085
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novosibirsk and in Magadan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,153 in Novosibirsk versus $1,085 in Magadan.

  • Novosibirsk $1,153
  • Magadan $1,085

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,833 in Novosibirsk versus $1,711 in Magadan.

  • Novosibirsk $1,833
  • Magadan $1,711

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,512 in Novosibirsk versus $2,336 in Magadan.

  • Novosibirsk $2,512
  • Magadan $2,336

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 6% more expensive than in Magadan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 15% lower, Magadan 20% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 ₽935
$11.62 ₽937
-0.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 ₽3,926
$37.90 ₽3,057
28.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.27 ₽505
$7.32 ₽590
-14.34%
Cappuccino
$2.81 ₽227
$2.90 ₽234
-3.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 ₽95.2
$1.35 ₽109
-12.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₽46.91
$0.58 ₽46.90
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.23 ₽99.1
$1.66 ₽134
-25.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 ₽291
$2.83 ₽228
27.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 ₽99.3
$1.15 ₽92.7
6.96%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 ₽58.3
$0.75 ₽60.7
-4.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 ₽120
$1.60 ₽129
-7.50%
Eggs
$1.73 ₽140
$1.57 ₽127
10.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.99 ₽967
$11.51 ₽928
4.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.00 ₽404
$5.43 ₽438
-7.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.33 ₽994
$10.66 ₽859
15.67%
Apples (1kg)
$1.91 ₽154
$1.81 ₽146
5.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 ₽144
$1.89 ₽152
-5.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 ₽166
$1.88 ₽152
9.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 ₽271
$2.48 ₽200
35.48%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₽66.5
$0.80 ₽64.6
2.50%
Onion (1kg)
$0.61 ₽49.37
$0.61 ₽48.88
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 ₽125
$1.24 ₽99.8
25.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ₽67.2
$0.63 ₽51.2
31.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17 ₽256
$2.78 ₽224
14.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.66 ₽860
$8.17 ₽659
30.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 ₽80.5
$0.99 ₽80.2
1.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₽137
$2.32 ₽187
-26.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 ₽44.18
$0.56 ₽45.14
-1.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.41 ₽2,614
$30.25 ₽2,440
7.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.54 ₽205
$2.42 ₽195
4.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 ₽42.00
$0.32 ₽26.17
62.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.21 ₽501
$6.65 ₽536
-6.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 ₽66.5
$0.84 ₽67.8
-2.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.9K ₽3.5M
$53.6K ₽4.3M
-18.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K ₽3.2M
$39.9K ₽3.2M
-1.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$111 ₽8,977
$136 ₽11.0K
-18.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.18 ₽579
$7.23 ₽583
-0.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.33 ₽671
$9.00 ₽726
-7.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.16 ₽3,078
$36.17 ₽2,917
5.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.42 ₽2,454
$24.48 ₽1,974
24.26%
Cinema Ticket
$7.41 ₽597
$6.40 ₽516
15.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 ₽25.1K
$400 ₽32.3K
-22.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$6,539 ₽527.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 ₽5,801
$84.9 ₽6,850
-15.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.55 ₽3,835
$46.25 ₽3,730
2.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 ₽11.7K
$111 ₽8,980
29.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 ₽8,102
$114 ₽9,214
-12.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$570 ₽46.0K
$542 ₽43.8K
5.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 ₽30.6K
$307 ₽24.8K
23.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,022 ₽82.4K
$826 ₽66.6K
23.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$692 ₽55.8K
$601 ₽48.5K
15.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,446 ₽197.3K
$2,373 ₽191.4K
3.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,869 ₽150.7K
$1,316 ₽106.1K
42.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novosibirsk
Magadan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$922 ₽74.4K
-
-
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 Magadan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
$379
Magadan
$307 18.9% $71
Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
$225
Magadan
$208 7.8% $18
Eating Out
Novosibirsk
$166
Magadan
$171 3.4% $5.7
Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
$164
Magadan
$161 2.1% $3.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
$127
Magadan
$152 20.2% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
$53
Magadan
$49 7.6% $4
Getting Around
Novosibirsk
$40
Magadan
$37 8.1% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $570 in Novosibirsk and $542 in Magadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49 in Novosibirsk vs $38 in Magadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $208 per month, with Magadan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Magadan
🕒 Local time
03:00 3:00 AM
07:00 7:00 AM
4 h ahead of Novosibirsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,620,162
89,193
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.65 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.78 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Novosibirsk Magadan 3,930 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Novosibirsk
  • Magadan

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 Magadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Novosibirsk or Magadan?
Magadan wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Novosibirsk. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Magadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Novosibirsk and in Magadan?
You’d need roughly $1,730 in Novosibirsk and $1,628 in Magadan 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Novosibirsk compared to Magadan?
Rent for a central apartment: $570 in Novosibirsk versus $542 in Magadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Novosibirsk compared to Magadan?
All in, you’ll spend $1,153 per month in Novosibirsk versus $1,085 in Magadan – Magadan is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Novosibirsk compared to Magadan?
A monthly transit pass in Magadan runs roughly 7% less than in Novosibirsk. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Novosibirsk or in Magadan?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Magadan is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Novosibirsk or Magadan?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Magadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Novosibirsk vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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