Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Samara Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Samara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Novosibirsk versus $941 in Samara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,703 in Novosibirsk versus $1,386 in Samara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,359 in Novosibirsk versus $1,832 in Samara.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 11% more expensive than in Samara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 24% lower, Samara 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.13 ₽698

$7.18 ₽616

13.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.10 ₽3,527

$34.69 ₽2,977

18.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₽482

$5.15 ₽442

9.13%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₽240

$2.11 ₽181

32.70%

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

$1.17 ₽100

$0.97 ₽83.4

20.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽57.6

$0.46 ₽39.31

45.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₽97.8

$1.00 ₽85.5

14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ₽409

$1.83 ₽157

160.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽97.7

$1.05 ₽90.4

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₽58.4

$0.84 ₽72.4

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽117

$1.30 ₽111

4.62%

Eggs

$1.66 ₽143

$1.44 ₽124

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 ₽965

$10.34 ₽887

8.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 ₽413

$5.04 ₽433

-4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 ₽917

$7.28 ₽625

46.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽162

$1.60 ₽137

18.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₽139

$1.80 ₽154

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ₽156

$1.52 ₽130

19.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 ₽260

$2.69 ₽231

12.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽61.2

$0.95 ₽81.4

-25.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽51.9

$0.42 ₽35.71

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ₽129

$1.12 ₽96.0

33.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽54.8

$0.53 ₽45.67

20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽277

$2.52 ₽216

28.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 ₽791

$4.15 ₽356

122.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₽77.4

$0.78 ₽66.9

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₽147

$1.29 ₽110

32.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽46.67

$0.45 ₽38.36

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.05 ₽2,408

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 ₽197

$3.51 ₽302

-34.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽38.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 ₽496

$3.41 ₽292

69.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽64.3

$0.78 ₽66.9

-3.85%

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

$23.5K ₽2.0M

$26.4K ₽2.3M

-10.85%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$36.0K ₽3.1M

-9.26%

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

$108 ₽9,305

$116 ₽9,940

-6.38%

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

$6.50 ₽558

$5.38 ₽461

20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.95 ₽682

$10.42 ₽894

-23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.24 ₽3,282

$44.28 ₽3,800

-13.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 ₽2,594

$21.61 ₽1,855

39.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₽590

$5.12 ₽440

34.37%

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

$292 ₽25.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 ₽6,029

$72.6 ₽6,233

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 ₽3,799

$44.45 ₽3,815

-0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₽11.1K

$105 ₽8,979

23.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ₽7,962

$82.3 ₽7,062

12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₽44.2K

$526 ₽45.1K

-2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₽29.7K

$328 ₽28.1K

5.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 ₽84.3K

$853 ₽73.2K

15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 ₽60.1K

$410 ₽35.2K

70.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,496 ₽214.2K

$2,326 ₽199.6K

7.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,599 ₽137.2K

$1,496 ₽128.4K

6.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 ₽69.1K

$859 ₽73.7K

-6.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

25.03

-8.79%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: August 30, 2026

Last update for Samara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Novosibirsk and $526 in Samara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samara pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Novosibirsk vs $35.00 in Samara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $176 per month, with Samara 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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Samara. 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: $515 in Novosibirsk versus $526 in Samara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Samara – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $41.00 in Novosibirsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $941 in Samara versus $1,047 in Novosibirsk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samara but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Samara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samara 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 Samara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.