Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Tomsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Tomsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,002 in Novosibirsk versus $1,003 in Tomsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Novosibirsk versus $1,574 in Tomsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,275 in Novosibirsk versus $2,144 in Tomsk.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Tomsk 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ₽549

$6.27 ₽454

20.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.54 ₽2,720

$32.38 ₽2,346

15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 ₽378

$5.87 ₽426

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ₽207

$2.27 ₽164

25.99%

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

$1.38 ₽100

$0.98 ₽70.7

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.1

$0.46 ₽33.18

86.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₽185

$1.25 ₽90.7

104.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ₽275

$2.96 ₽215

28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽75.8

$1.14 ₽82.8

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽44.62

$0.55 ₽39.73

12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽121

$1.82 ₽132

-8.24%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.66 ₽120

11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 ₽771

$10.84 ₽785

-1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 ₽375

$5.51 ₽399

-5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ₽730

$8.97 ₽650

12.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ₽152

$2.00 ₽145

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₽136

$1.97 ₽143

-4.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽140

$2.13 ₽154

-9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 ₽254

$3.76 ₽272

-6.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₽53.8

$0.69 ₽50.1

7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₽48.99

$0.57 ₽41.41

19.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₽81.7

$1.05 ₽76.0

7.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽52.0

$0.59 ₽42.43

22.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₽234

$2.47 ₽179

30.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 ₽703

$7.57 ₽548

28.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.4

$0.85 ₽61.8

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽156

$1.89 ₽137

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽38.41

$0.39 ₽28.33

35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.64 ₽2,293

$26.30 ₽1,906

20.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₽140

$1.70 ₽123

13.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.11

$0.25 ₽18.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ₽274

$6.15 ₽446

-38.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽55.3

$0.74 ₽53.6

2.70%

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

$55.8K ₽4.0M

$31.1K ₽2.3M

79.32%

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

$26.9K ₽1.9M

$41.5K ₽3.0M

-35.27%

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

$104 ₽7,552

$114 ₽8,295

-8.95%

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

$5.51 ₽399

$5.13 ₽372

7.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 ₽618

$8.28 ₽600

2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ₽4,341

$63.1 ₽4,571

-5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.02 ₽1,813

$25.32 ₽1,835

-1.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ₽447

$5.84 ₽423

5.65%

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

$350 ₽25.4K

$76.5 ₽5,545

357.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,694 ₽340.1K

$4,477 ₽324.4K

4.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ₽4,983

$76.3 ₽5,532

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 ₽2,922

$34.31 ₽2,486

17.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ₽6,944

$133 ₽9,664

-28.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ₽5,772

$181 ₽13.1K

-55.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₽34.6K

$438 ₽31.7K

8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₽21.6K

$277 ₽20.1K

7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ₽60.8K

$760 ₽55.1K

10.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ₽47.6K

$518 ₽37.5K

27.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 ₽222.0K

$2,482 ₽179.8K

23.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,935 ₽140.2K

$1,734 ₽125.6K

11.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 ₽64.1K

$1,002 ₽72.6K

-11.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

22.08

-21.29%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Novosibirsk and $438 in Tomsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tomsk pays 13% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $32.00 in Tomsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $205 per month, with Tomsk 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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Tomsk earns 13% less. 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: $477 in Novosibirsk versus $438 in Tomsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novosibirsk runs roughly 20% less than in Tomsk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Tomsk pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,002 in Novosibirsk versus $1,003 in Tomsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Tomsk. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk 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.

Safety-wise, Novosibirsk and Tomsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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