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: $1,000 in Novosibirsk versus $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Novosibirsk versus $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,227 in Novosibirsk versus $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs are close between Novosibirsk and Rostov-on-Don; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Rostov-on-Don 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 ₽581

$11.16 ₽876

-33.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 ₽2,978

$37.79 ₽2,969

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₽410

$4.97 ₽390

5.03%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₽220

$2.53 ₽199

10.67%

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

$1.33 ₽105

$1.19 ₽93.1

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.0

$0.72 ₽56.9

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ₽197

$1.25 ₽97.9

100.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₽294

$2.16 ₽170

73.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽82.4

$1.02 ₽80.2

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽48.34

$0.55 ₽43.52

12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ₽126

$1.15 ₽90.6

39.13%

Eggs

$1.90 ₽149

$1.57 ₽123

21.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 ₽865

$8.24 ₽647

33.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ₽403

$4.86 ₽381

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 ₽806

$7.61 ₽598

34.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₽158

$1.27 ₽99.5

58.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₽144

$1.62 ₽127

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₽157

$1.52 ₽119

30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₽271

$2.42 ₽190

42.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ₽61.4

$0.71 ₽55.8

9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽51.9

$0.55 ₽43.34

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₽85.2

$1.19 ₽93.8

-9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽52.6

$0.63 ₽49.41

6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 ₽752

$7.61 ₽598

25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽72.6

$0.89 ₽69.5

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₽166

$2.11 ₽165

0.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽41.97

$0.51 ₽40.31

3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.18 ₽2,449

$19.36 ₽1,521

61.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₽148

$1.96 ₽154

-4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽19.46

$0.33 ₽25.83

-24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 ₽305

$6.65 ₽522

-41.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 ₽55.2

$0.77 ₽60.6

-9.09%

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

$56.4K ₽4.4M

$25.7K ₽2.0M

119.77%

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

$26.8K ₽2.1M

$39.7K ₽3.1M

-32.53%

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

$107 ₽8,429

$99.1 ₽7,787

8.25%

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

$5.61 ₽441

$7.17 ₽563

-21.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.43 ₽662

$8.05 ₽632

4.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 ₽4,687

$41.54 ₽3,263

43.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.44 ₽1,920

$25.69 ₽2,018

-4.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₽463

$5.06 ₽397

16.40%

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

$354 ₽27.8K

$286 ₽22.5K

23.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₽369.7K

$8,396 ₽659.6K

-43.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ₽5,320

$48.48 ₽3,808

39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 ₽3,139

$60.4 ₽4,743

-33.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₽7,474

$114 ₽8,992

-16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 ₽6,203

$102 ₽8,000

-22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ₽36.7K

$490 ₽38.5K

-4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₽23.8K

$353 ₽27.7K

-14.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 ₽66.1K

$928 ₽72.9K

-9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ₽51.5K

$580 ₽45.6K

13.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,755 ₽216.4K

$2,635 ₽207.0K

4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₽139.8K

$1,630 ₽128.0K

9.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 ₽66.5K

$904 ₽71.0K

-6.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

16.33

6.43%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Novosibirsk and $490 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $172, with Rostov-on-Don cheaper for home cooking.

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

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Rostov-on-Don. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Novosibirsk versus $490 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novosibirsk runs roughly 61% less than in Rostov-on-Don. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Rostov-on-Don pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,000 in Novosibirsk versus $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Rostov-on-Don. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

It comes down to priorities – Novosibirsk wins on affordability, Rostov-on-Don on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.