Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Obninsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Obninsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,002 in Novosibirsk versus $1,138 in Obninsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Novosibirsk versus $1,788 in Obninsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,275 in Novosibirsk versus $2,438 in Obninsk.

Living in Novosibirsk costs roughly 12% less than in Obninsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Obninsk 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ₽549

$12.53 ₽908

-39.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.54 ₽2,720

$57.1 ₽4,136

-34.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 ₽378

$6.42 ₽466

-18.85%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ₽207

$3.30 ₽239

-13.33%

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

$1.38 ₽100

$1.39 ₽101

-0.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.1

$0.64 ₽46.29

34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₽185

$1.36 ₽98.2

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ₽275

$4.43 ₽321

-14.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽75.8

$1.17 ₽84.5

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽44.62

$0.84 ₽61.1

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽121

$1.76 ₽128

-5.11%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.87 ₽136

-1.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 ₽771

$13.19 ₽956

-19.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 ₽375

$6.05 ₽438

-14.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ₽730

$12.05 ₽873

-16.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ₽152

$1.86 ₽135

12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₽136

$1.76 ₽128

6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽140

$2.38 ₽173

-18.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 ₽254

$4.17 ₽302

-16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₽53.8

$1.03 ₽74.8

-28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₽48.99

$0.84 ₽61.0

-19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₽81.7

$1.66 ₽120

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽52.0

$0.75 ₽54.7

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₽234

$3.23 ₽234

-0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 ₽703

$5.41 ₽392

79.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.4

$1.07 ₽77.5

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽156

$2.42 ₽175

-10.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽38.41

$0.52 ₽37.77

1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.64 ₽2,293

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₽140

$2.55 ₽185

-24.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.11

$0.47 ₽34.10

-46.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ₽274

$8.19 ₽593

-53.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽55.3

$0.75 ₽54.7

1.33%

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

$55.8K ₽4.0M

$38.3K ₽2.8M

45.83%

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

$26.9K ₽1.9M

$37.4K ₽2.7M

-28.12%

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

$104 ₽7,552

$152 ₽11.0K

-31.22%

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

$5.51 ₽399

$7.96 ₽577

-30.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 ₽618

$8.14 ₽590

4.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ₽4,341

$35.22 ₽2,552

70.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.02 ₽1,813

$12.49 ₽905

100.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ₽447

$6.46 ₽468

-4.49%

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

$350 ₽25.4K

$329 ₽23.8K

6.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,694 ₽340.1K

$6,986 ₽506.2K

-32.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ₽4,983

$88.8 ₽6,436

-22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 ₽2,922

$54.1 ₽3,918

-25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ₽6,944

$133 ₽9,605

-27.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ₽5,772

$165 ₽11.9K

-51.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₽34.6K

$451 ₽32.7K

5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₽21.6K

$307 ₽22.3K

-2.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ₽60.8K

$748 ₽54.2K

12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ₽47.6K

$506 ₽36.7K

29.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 ₽222.0K

$2,365 ₽171.4K

29.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,935 ₽140.2K

$1,589 ₽115.1K

21.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 ₽64.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

117.25%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: June 7, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Novosibirsk and $451 in Obninsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $57.0 in Obninsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $232 per month, with Novosibirsk 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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novosibirsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Novosibirsk and $1,706 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Novosibirsk versus $451 in Obninsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Obninsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,002 per month in Novosibirsk versus $1,138 in Obninsk – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,002 in Novosibirsk versus $1,138 in Obninsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Obninsk. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk 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.

Safety-wise, Novosibirsk and Obninsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Obninsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.