Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Ulan Ude Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Ulan Ude

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Novosibirsk versus $960 in Ulan Ude.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Novosibirsk versus $1,464 in Ulan Ude.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,227 in Novosibirsk versus $1,967 in Ulan Ude.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 4% more expensive than in Ulan Ude, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Ulan Ude 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 ₽581

$9.28 ₽729

-20.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 ₽2,978

$37.70 ₽2,961

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₽410

$5.99 ₽471

-12.85%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₽220

$2.29 ₽180

22.27%

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

$1.33 ₽105

$1.19 ₽93.4

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.0

$0.48 ₽37.42

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ₽197

$1.42 ₽111

76.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₽294

$2.53 ₽198

47.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽82.4

$1.16 ₽91.4

-9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽48.34

$0.44 ₽34.51

40.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ₽126

$1.37 ₽107

16.79%

Eggs

$1.90 ₽149

$1.72 ₽135

10.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 ₽865

$10.69 ₽840

2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ₽403

$4.90 ₽385

4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 ₽806

$8.89 ₽698

15.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₽158

$1.73 ₽136

16.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₽144

$1.84 ₽144

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₽157

$1.93 ₽151

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₽271

$2.66 ₽209

29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ₽61.4

$0.79 ₽61.8

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽51.9

$0.68 ₽53.0

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₽85.2

$1.40 ₽110

-22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽52.6

$0.68 ₽53.3

-1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

$2.98 ₽234

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 ₽752

$6.36 ₽500

50.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽72.6

$1.00 ₽78.7

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₽166

$1.92 ₽151

10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽41.97

$0.49 ₽38.24

8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.18 ₽2,449

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₽148

$1.87 ₽147

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽19.46

$0.33 ₽25.90

-24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 ₽305

$6.28 ₽494

-38.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 ₽55.2

$0.80 ₽62.7

-12.50%

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

$56.4K ₽4.4M

$34.8K ₽2.7M

61.93%

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

$26.8K ₽2.1M

$36.0K ₽2.8M

-25.77%

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

$107 ₽8,429

$109 ₽8,593

-1.91%

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

$5.61 ₽441

$5.99 ₽470

-6.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.43 ₽662

$7.76 ₽610

8.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 ₽4,687

$35.95 ₽2,824

65.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.44 ₽1,920

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₽463

$5.09 ₽400

15.72%

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

$354 ₽27.8K

$319 ₽25.1K

10.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₽369.7K

$7,056 ₽554.3K

-33.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ₽5,320

$68.8 ₽5,403

-1.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 ₽3,139

$44.46 ₽3,493

-10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₽7,474

$114 ₽8,922

-16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 ₽6,203

$108 ₽8,520

-27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ₽36.7K

$447 ₽35.1K

4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₽23.8K

$306 ₽24.0K

-1.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 ₽66.1K

$759 ₽59.6K

10.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ₽51.5K

$516 ₽40.6K

27.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,755 ₽216.4K

$2,329 ₽183.0K

18.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₽139.8K

$1,802 ₽141.6K

-1.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 ₽66.5K

$670 ₽52.7K

26.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

18.33

-5.18%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ulan Ude: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Novosibirsk and $447 in Ulan Ude. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 26% 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 $38.00 in Ulan Ude. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $191, with Ulan Ude cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ulan Ude: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulan Ude is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Novosibirsk, 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: $467 in Novosibirsk versus $447 in Ulan Ude. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,000 per month in Novosibirsk versus $960 in Ulan Ude – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $960 in Ulan Ude versus $1,000 in Novosibirsk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ulan Ude but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Ulan Ude 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 Ulan Ude 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.