Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Obninsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Novosibirsk: $1,160 a month against $1,196 in Obninsk, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Novosibirsk, Russia
Obninsk, Russia
Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,160
/mo nomad
Obninsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,196
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novosibirsk and in Obninsk

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,160 in Novosibirsk versus $1,196 in Obninsk.

  • Novosibirsk $1,160
  • Obninsk $1,196

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Novosibirsk versus $1,805 in Obninsk.

  • Novosibirsk $1,809
  • Obninsk $1,805

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,458 in Novosibirsk versus $2,413 in Obninsk.

  • Novosibirsk $2,458
  • Obninsk $2,413

Living in Novosibirsk costs roughly 3% less than in Obninsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 14% lower, Obninsk 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₽996
$9.57 ₽780
27.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.47 ₽3,546
$36.78 ₽3,000
18.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.17 ₽585
$7.37 ₽601
-2.71%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ₽248
$3.01 ₽245
1.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₽87.9
$1.20 ₽97.9
-10.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₽45.22
$0.48 ₽38.80
14.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.25 ₽102
$1.81 ₽148
-30.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 ₽206
$2.39 ₽195
5.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 ₽105
$1.17 ₽95.5
10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 ₽58.8
$0.60 ₽48.88
20.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.46 ₽119
$1.77 ₽144
-17.51%
Eggs
$1.70 ₽139
$1.30 ₽106
30.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.05 ₽983
$7.69 ₽627
56.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.86 ₽396
$4.79 ₽391
1.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.51 ₽939
$8.38 ₽683
37.35%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₽147
$1.60 ₽131
12.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 ₽150
$1.69 ₽138
8.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₽162
$1.90 ₽155
4.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 ₽290
$2.48 ₽202
43.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 ₽69.0
$0.53 ₽43.28
60.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₽54.8
$0.54 ₽43.91
24.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 ₽123
$0.99 ₽81.0
52.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ₽66.0
$0.55 ₽44.99
47.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.54 ₽289
$3.43 ₽280
3.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.68 ₽789
$8.76 ₽715
10.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 ₽82.6
$1.24 ₽101
-18.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 ₽140
$1.90 ₽155
-10.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 ₽43.71
$0.53 ₽43.41
1.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.56 ₽2,655
$24.47 ₽1,995
33.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ₽198
$3.59 ₽293
-32.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.51 ₽41.67
$0.36 ₽28.95
41.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.33 ₽516
$6.16 ₽502
2.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 ₽68.5
$0.91 ₽74.2
-7.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.6K ₽3.5M
$43.6K ₽3.6M
-2.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K ₽3.3M
$39.6K ₽3.2M
0.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 ₽8,884
$181 ₽14.8K
-39.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.14 ₽582
$8.59 ₽701
-16.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.30 ₽677
$9.73 ₽793
-14.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.33 ₽3,126
$38.25 ₽3,119
0.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.61 ₽2,496
$26.87 ₽2,191
13.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.94 ₽566
$9.08 ₽741
-23.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$302 ₽24.6K
$354 ₽28.9K
-14.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$6,281 ₽512.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 ₽5,830
$105 ₽8,558
-31.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.80 ₽3,817
$66.2 ₽5,402
-29.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 ₽11.8K
$143 ₽11.7K
0.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 ₽8,069
$177 ₽14.4K
-44.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$578 ₽47.1K
$500 ₽40.8K
15.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$386 ₽31.5K
$351 ₽28.6K
10.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,002 ₽81.7K
$932 ₽76.0K
7.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$664 ₽54.2K
$596 ₽48.6K
11.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,423 ₽197.6K
$2,255 ₽183.9K
7.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,794 ₽146.3K
$1,505 ₽122.7K
19.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novosibirsk
Obninsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$863 ₽70.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.83
19.36
17.92%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 31, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
$386
Obninsk
$351 9.2% $35
Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
$221
Obninsk
$181 18.1% $40
Eating Out
Novosibirsk
$174
Obninsk
$155 10.5% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
$163
Obninsk
$221 36% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
$124
Obninsk
$199 60.4% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
$52
Obninsk
$56 8% $4.2
Getting Around
Novosibirsk
$40
Obninsk
$32 19.5% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $578 in Novosibirsk and $500 in Obninsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Novosibirsk vs $37 in Obninsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $181 per month, with Obninsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Obninsk
🕒 Local time
00:25 12:25 AM
20:25 8:25 PM
4 h behind Novosibirsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,620,162
116,179
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 81.56 RUB (100 RUB = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 91.6 RUB (100 RUB = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Novosibirsk Obninsk 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Novosibirsk
  • Obninsk

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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Novosibirsk cheaper than Obninsk?
Novosibirsk is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,739 in Novosibirsk and $1,794 in Obninsk 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.
What is the rent difference between Novosibirsk and Obninsk?
Rent for a central apartment: $578 in Novosibirsk versus $500 in Obninsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $302 in Novosibirsk versus $354 in Obninsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Novosibirsk and in Obninsk?
Shoppers in Obninsk pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 enough for either Novosibirsk or Obninsk?
Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Novosibirsk gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Novosibirsk or in Obninsk?
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.

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