Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Rostov-on-Don Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Rostov-on-Don

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Novosibirsk versus $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,703 in Novosibirsk versus $1,524 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,359 in Novosibirsk versus $2,036 in Rostov-on-Don.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 3% more expensive than in Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 24% lower, Rostov-on-Don 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.13 ₽698

$10.24 ₽879

-20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.10 ₽3,527

$34.33 ₽2,947

19.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₽482

$5.86 ₽503

-4.10%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₽240

$2.63 ₽226

6.46%

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

$1.17 ₽100

$1.12 ₽96.2

4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽57.6

$0.54 ₽46.49

24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₽97.8

$2.02 ₽173

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ₽409

$3.08 ₽264

54.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽97.7

$1.14 ₽98.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₽58.4

$0.67 ₽57.1

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽117

Eggs

$1.66 ₽143

$1.28 ₽110

29.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 ₽965

$11.78 ₽1,011

-4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 ₽413

$4.93 ₽423

-2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 ₽917

$8.98 ₽771

19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽162

$1.34 ₽115

41.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₽139

$1.75 ₽150

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ₽156

$1.46 ₽126

24.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 ₽260

$2.61 ₽224

16.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽61.2

$0.81 ₽69.8

-12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽51.9

$0.55 ₽47.44

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ₽129

$1.22 ₽104

22.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽54.8

$0.61 ₽52.1

4.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽277

$2.85 ₽245

13.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 ₽791

$6.63 ₽569

39.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₽77.4

$0.87 ₽74.8

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₽147

$1.98 ₽170

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽46.67

$0.52 ₽44.84

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.05 ₽2,408

$13.81 ₽1,185

103.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 ₽197

$3.17 ₽272

-27.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽38.09

$0.16 ₽13.48

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 ₽496

$3.93 ₽337

47.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽64.3

$0.81 ₽69.5

-7.41%

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

$23.5K ₽2.0M

$28.9K ₽2.5M

-18.79%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$30.7K ₽2.6M

6.51%

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

$108 ₽9,305

$127 ₽10.9K

-14.73%

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

$6.50 ₽558

$8.89 ₽763

-26.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.95 ₽682

$7.72 ₽662

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.24 ₽3,282

$29.45 ₽2,528

29.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 ₽2,594

$20.11 ₽1,726

50.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₽590

$5.05 ₽434

36.24%

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

$292 ₽25.1K

$323 ₽27.7K

-9.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 ₽6,029

$51.5 ₽4,421

36.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 ₽3,799

$43.02 ₽3,692

2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₽11.1K

$87.5 ₽7,510

47.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ₽7,962

$108 ₽9,288

-14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₽44.2K

$482 ₽41.3K

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₽29.7K

$326 ₽27.9K

6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 ₽84.3K

$973 ₽83.5K

0.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 ₽60.1K

$509 ₽43.7K

37.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,496 ₽214.2K

$2,397 ₽205.7K

4.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,599 ₽137.2K

$1,438 ₽123.4K

11.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 ₽69.1K

$790 ₽67.8K

1.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

20.14

13.36%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Novosibirsk and $482 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Novosibirsk vs $34.00 in Rostov-on-Don for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $189 per month, with Rostov-on-Don 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 Rostov-on-Don: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Novosibirsk, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Novosibirsk versus $482 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $292 in Novosibirsk versus $323 in Rostov-on-Don. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,047 in Novosibirsk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rostov-on-Don is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Novosibirsk, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Rostov-on-Don gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.