Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Stary Oskol Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Stary Oskol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,002 in Novosibirsk versus $956 in Stary Oskol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Novosibirsk versus $1,498 in Stary Oskol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,275 in Novosibirsk versus $2,039 in Stary Oskol.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 5% more expensive than Stary Oskol, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Stary Oskol 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ₽549

$9.75 ₽707

-22.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.54 ₽2,720

$37.37 ₽2,708

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 ₽378

$5.84 ₽423

-10.79%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ₽207

$2.30 ₽167

24.35%

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

$1.38 ₽100

$1.09 ₽78.8

26.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.1

$0.52 ₽37.69

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₽185

$1.36 ₽98.9

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ₽275

$2.50 ₽181

52.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽75.8

$1.10 ₽80.0

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽44.62

$0.67 ₽48.53

-7.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽121

$1.38 ₽100

21.01%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.73 ₽125

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 ₽771

$10.63 ₽770

0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 ₽375

$4.94 ₽358

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ₽730

$9.07 ₽657

11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ₽152

$1.81 ₽131

16.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₽136

$1.89 ₽137

-0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽140

$1.91 ₽138

1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 ₽254

$2.76 ₽200

26.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₽53.8

$0.84 ₽61.0

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₽48.99

$0.72 ₽51.9

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₽81.7

$1.40 ₽102

-19.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽52.0

$0.72 ₽51.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₽234

$2.93 ₽212

9.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 ₽703

$6.19 ₽448

56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.4

$0.97 ₽70.1

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽156

$1.95 ₽141

10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽38.41

$0.50 ₽36.11

6.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.64 ₽2,293

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₽140

$1.95 ₽141

-1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.11

$0.35 ₽25.49

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ₽274

$6.27 ₽454

-39.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽55.3

$0.72 ₽51.9

5.56%

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

$55.8K ₽4.0M

$34.3K ₽2.5M

62.46%

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

$26.9K ₽1.9M

$36.2K ₽2.6M

-25.84%

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

$104 ₽7,552

$112 ₽8,086

-6.60%

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

$5.51 ₽399

$5.82 ₽422

-5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 ₽618

$7.63 ₽553

11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ₽4,341

$35.12 ₽2,545

70.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.02 ₽1,813

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ₽447

$5.22 ₽379

18.20%

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

$350 ₽25.4K

$325 ₽23.5K

7.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,694 ₽340.1K

$7,119 ₽515.9K

-34.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ₽4,983

$70.4 ₽5,101

-2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 ₽2,922

$44.42 ₽3,219

-9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ₽6,944

$113 ₽8,193

-15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ₽5,772

$107 ₽7,757

-25.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₽34.6K

$446 ₽32.3K

7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₽21.6K

$303 ₽21.9K

-1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ₽60.8K

$773 ₽56.0K

8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ₽47.6K

$501 ₽36.3K

31.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 ₽222.0K

$2,549 ₽184.7K

20.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,935 ₽140.2K

$1,862 ₽134.9K

3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 ₽64.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

15.33

13.37%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stary Oskol: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Novosibirsk and $446 in Stary Oskol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $37.00 in Stary Oskol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $195 per month, with Stary Oskol 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 Stary Oskol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stary Oskol is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Novosibirsk and $1,435 in Stary Oskol 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 $446 in Stary Oskol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Novosibirsk. 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 $956 in Stary Oskol – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $956 in Stary Oskol versus $1,002 in Novosibirsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Stary Oskol but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Stary Oskol 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.

Expats usually find Stary Oskol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.