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: $1,013 in Novosibirsk versus $1,037 in Tomsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,653 in Novosibirsk versus $1,606 in Tomsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,294 in Novosibirsk versus $2,176 in Tomsk.

Living in Novosibirsk costs roughly 2% less than in Tomsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 24% lower, Tomsk 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 ₽561

$6.45 ₽485

15.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.41 ₽2,810

$31.79 ₽2,388

17.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ₽376

$5.62 ₽422

-11.03%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ₽208

$2.27 ₽170

22.03%

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

$1.34 ₽100

$1.02 ₽76.8

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽65.2

$0.43 ₽32.23

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₽192

$1.24 ₽93.3

105.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₽279

$3.14 ₽236

18.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽78.9

$1.11 ₽83.1

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₽42.36

$0.58 ₽43.45

-3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₽121

$1.85 ₽139

-12.97%

Eggs

$1.88 ₽141

$1.72 ₽129

9.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ₽803

$10.96 ₽823

-2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 ₽371

$5.50 ₽413

-10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 ₽768

$8.97 ₽674

13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽156

$2.05 ₽154

0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₽141

$1.98 ₽149

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₽149

$2.15 ₽161

-7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 ₽251

$3.77 ₽283

-11.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₽60.1

$0.70 ₽52.6

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₽50.0

$0.54 ₽40.19

24.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₽82.0

$1.06 ₽79.5

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽53.9

$0.61 ₽46.02

18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ₽236

$2.58 ₽193

21.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 ₽717

$7.90 ₽593

20.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽65.0

$0.93 ₽70.2

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽162

$1.83 ₽137

18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₽39.35

$0.39 ₽29.62

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.43 ₽2,361

$26.15 ₽1,964

20.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₽141

$1.68 ₽126

11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.77

$0.25 ₽18.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ₽290

$6.07 ₽456

-36.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₽57.5

$0.69 ₽51.6

11.59%

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

$55.8K ₽4.2M

$31.6K ₽2.4M

76.75%

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

$27.1K ₽2.0M

$40.4K ₽3.0M

-32.91%

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

$106 ₽7,931

$114 ₽8,556

-7.30%

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

$5.48 ₽411

$5.09 ₽382

7.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.71 ₽654

$8.11 ₽609

7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 ₽4,485

$61.1 ₽4,588

-2.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.25 ₽1,897

$25.54 ₽1,918

-1.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.91 ₽444

$5.55 ₽417

6.49%

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

$354 ₽26.6K

$75.0 ₽5,633

371.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,695 ₽352.6K

$4,392 ₽329.9K

6.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ₽5,163

$74.7 ₽5,611

-7.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.38 ₽2,958

$34.43 ₽2,586

14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₽7,140

$135 ₽10.1K

-29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 ₽6,059

$185 ₽13.9K

-56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 ₽35.4K

$445 ₽33.4K

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₽23.2K

$278 ₽20.9K

11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 ₽61.5K

$753 ₽56.5K

8.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 ₽48.0K

$500 ₽37.6K

27.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,631 ₽197.6K

$2,153 ₽161.7K

22.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 ₽118.8K

$1,504 ₽113.0K

5.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 ₽64.3K

$804 ₽60.4K

6.42%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Novosibirsk and $445 in Tomsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Novosibirsk vs $32.00 in Tomsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $207 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

Novosibirsk is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Novosibirsk pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $471 in Novosibirsk versus $445 in Tomsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $354 in Novosibirsk versus $75.0 in Tomsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tomsk pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,013 in Novosibirsk versus $1,037 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.

Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Tomsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.