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: $994 in Novosibirsk versus $1,008 in Tomsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Novosibirsk versus $1,575 in Tomsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,241 in Novosibirsk versus $2,142 in Tomsk.

Living in Novosibirsk costs roughly 1% less than in Tomsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Tomsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 ₽615

$6.42 ₽512

19.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.77 ₽3,013

$31.90 ₽2,545

18.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₽408

$5.81 ₽463

-12.05%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ₽227

$2.24 ₽179

26.79%

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

$1.34 ₽107

$1.00 ₽79.9

34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽64.8

$0.42 ₽33.88

92.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ₽199

$1.25 ₽99.8

99.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ₽305

$3.12 ₽249

22.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽83.4

$1.11 ₽88.5

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₽47.96

$0.57 ₽45.84

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ₽128

$1.92 ₽153

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽142

$1.74 ₽139

2.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 ₽879

$10.85 ₽865

1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₽408

$5.70 ₽455

-10.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.27 ₽819

$8.63 ₽689

19.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₽160

$1.95 ₽155

2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₽153

$1.98 ₽158

-3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₽153

$2.16 ₽172

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 ₽270

$3.71 ₽296

-8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₽63.0

$0.65 ₽51.9

21.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽52.9

$0.53 ₽42.46

24.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₽86.6

$1.00 ₽79.8

9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.9

$0.62 ₽49.68

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₽245

$2.52 ₽201

21.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₽759

$7.24 ₽578

31.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽73.6

$0.85 ₽67.5

8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₽165

$1.80 ₽144

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽42.00

$0.39 ₽31.21

35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.63 ₽2,523

$26.41 ₽2,107

19.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₽156

$1.63 ₽130

19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₽21.64

$0.23 ₽18.31

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 ₽297

$6.04 ₽482

-38.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽59.7

$0.73 ₽58.4

2.74%

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

$55.6K ₽4.4M

$30.5K ₽2.4M

82.16%

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

$26.2K ₽2.1M

$40.9K ₽3.3M

-35.98%

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

$108 ₽8,606

$113 ₽8,994

-4.33%

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

$5.36 ₽428

$5.09 ₽406

5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₽688

$7.92 ₽632

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.4 ₽4,741

$62.2 ₽4,961

-4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.96 ₽1,991

$25.62 ₽2,044

-2.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ₽486

$5.66 ₽451

7.60%

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

$347 ₽27.7K

$77.5 ₽6,183

348.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,719 ₽376.4K

$4,447 ₽354.7K

6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 ₽5,540

$76.4 ₽6,095

-9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 ₽3,122

$34.28 ₽2,735

14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ₽7,641

$132 ₽10.5K

-27.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 ₽6,262

$184 ₽14.7K

-57.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₽37.9K

$448 ₽35.7K

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₽24.5K

$282 ₽22.5K

8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₽66.2K

$744 ₽59.4K

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 ₽50.8K

$517 ₽41.2K

23.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,715 ₽216.6K

$2,322 ₽185.2K

16.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 ₽139.1K

$1,501 ₽119.7K

16.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$833 ₽66.4K

$918 ₽73.2K

-9.25%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Novosibirsk and $448 in Tomsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tomsk pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $32.00 in Tomsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $204 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Tomsk. 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: $475 in Novosibirsk versus $448 in Tomsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $347 in Novosibirsk versus $77.5 in Tomsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $994 in Novosibirsk versus $1,008 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 1% less than in Tomsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.