Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Serov

For one person, living costs are similar in Novosibirsk and in Serov: $1,121 and $1,074 a month, rent and utilities included.

Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,121
/mo nomad
Serov
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,074
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novosibirsk and in Serov

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,121 in Novosibirsk versus $1,074 in Serov.

  • Novosibirsk $1,121
  • Serov $1,074

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,786 in Novosibirsk versus $1,647 in Serov.

  • Novosibirsk $1,786
  • Serov $1,647

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,451 in Novosibirsk versus $2,219 in Serov.

  • Novosibirsk $2,451
  • Serov $2,219

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 4% more expensive than in Serov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 17% lower, Serov 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.52 ₽962
$9.76 ₽814
18.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.38 ₽4,038
$34.37 ₽2,869
40.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.06 ₽506
$5.89 ₽492
2.89%
Cappuccino
$2.66 ₽222
$2.53 ₽211
5.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 ₽92.7
$1.02 ₽85.0
8.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₽47.92
$0.61 ₽50.8
-6.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.18 ₽98.5
$1.93 ₽161
-38.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 ₽300
$3.07 ₽256
17.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 ₽100
$1.30 ₽109
-7.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 ₽58.5
$0.78 ₽65.2
-10.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.37 ₽114
$1.23 ₽103
11.38%
Eggs
$1.61 ₽135
$1.63 ₽136
-1.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.06 ₽1,007
$12.63 ₽1,054
-4.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.80 ₽401
$5.03 ₽420
-4.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.01 ₽1,002
$10.31 ₽860
16.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 ₽164
$1.87 ₽156
5.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 ₽149
$1.79 ₽149
-0.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 ₽163
$1.81 ₽151
7.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.30 ₽275
$3.12 ₽260
5.77%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₽73.0
$0.73 ₽60.5
19.18%
Onion (1kg)
$0.60 ₽50.0
$0.56 ₽46.63
7.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 ₽122
$1.35 ₽113
8.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₽66.6
$0.71 ₽58.9
12.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.19 ₽266
$3.26 ₽272
-2.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 ₽846
$7.56 ₽631
33.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₽79.4
$1.03 ₽85.9
-7.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₽138
$1.74 ₽145
-5.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 ₽46.81
$0.62 ₽51.6
-9.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.40 ₽2,453
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.41 ₽201
$2.74 ₽229
-12.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.49 ₽41.11
$0.40 ₽33.28
22.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.16 ₽514
$5.15 ₽430
19.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 ₽73.1
$0.72 ₽60.1
22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.8K ₽3.6M
$55.9K ₽4.7M
-23.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K ₽3.2M
$44.7K ₽3.7M
-13.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 ₽9,089
$124 ₽10.4K
-12.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.32 ₽611
$5.67 ₽473
29.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.35 ₽697
$7.30 ₽609
14.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.80 ₽3,155
$36.44 ₽3,041
3.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.99 ₽2,503
$24.15 ₽2,016
24.18%
Cinema Ticket
$7.29 ₽609
$6.97 ₽582
4.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 ₽25.3K
$371 ₽30.9K
-18.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$6,911 ₽576.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.3 ₽5,865
$74.7 ₽6,238
-5.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.16 ₽3,852
$47.40 ₽3,956
-2.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$140 ₽11.7K
$132 ₽11.0K
6.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.3 ₽8,201
$96.4 ₽8,045
1.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$546 ₽45.6K
$405 ₽33.8K
34.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$367 ₽30.6K
$364 ₽30.3K
0.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,016 ₽84.8K
$893 ₽74.6K
13.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 ₽56.1K
$623 ₽52.0K
7.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,352 ₽196.3K
$2,348 ₽196.0K
0.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,778 ₽148.4K
$1,629 ₽135.9K
9.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Novosibirsk
Serov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₽74.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.83
21.45
6.43%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: October 20, 2026

Last update for Serov: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Novosibirsk
$367
Serov
$364 0.8% $3
Groceries & Markets
Novosibirsk
$220
Serov
$210 4.3% $9.5
Eating Out
Novosibirsk
$162
Serov
$148 8.4% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Novosibirsk
$160
Serov
$158 1.2% $1.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Novosibirsk
$125
Serov
$137 10% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Novosibirsk
$52
Serov
$50 3.8% $2
Getting Around
Novosibirsk
$37
Serov
$7.2 * 80.3% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $546 in Novosibirsk and $405 in Serov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Novosibirsk vs $34.00 in Serov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $210 per month, with Serov cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Novosibirsk
🇷🇺 Serov
🕒 Local time
05:14 5:14 AM
03:14 3:14 AM
2 h behind Novosibirsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,620,162
97,366
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Novosibirsk Serov 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Novosibirsk
  • Serov

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 Serov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Serov cheaper than Novosibirsk?
Serov is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,682 in Novosibirsk and $1,611 in Serov 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 Serov?
Rent for a central apartment: $546 in Novosibirsk versus $405 in Serov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Novosibirsk and in Serov?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Novosibirsk and in Serov?
All in, you'll spend $1,121 per month in Novosibirsk versus $1,074 in Serov – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Novosibirsk or in Serov?
At $1,074 in Serov versus $1,121 in Novosibirsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Serov but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Serov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Novosibirsk or in Serov?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Serov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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