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: $1,017 in Novosibirsk versus $976 in Ulan Ude.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,647 in Novosibirsk versus $1,502 in Ulan Ude.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,276 in Novosibirsk versus $2,029 in Ulan Ude.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 24% lower, Ulan Ude 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₽544

$9.76 ₽712

-23.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.34 ₽2,725

$37.64 ₽2,747

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ₽361

$5.88 ₽429

-15.82%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₽210

$2.29 ₽167

25.33%

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

$1.35 ₽98.8

$1.19 ₽87.2

13.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₽61.3

$0.52 ₽37.76

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ₽183

$1.35 ₽98.9

85.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 ₽282

$2.61 ₽190

47.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽80.3

$1.15 ₽83.7

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₽41.37

$0.44 ₽32.07

29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽123

$1.39 ₽101

21.58%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽131

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 ₽798

$10.97 ₽801

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₽373

$4.82 ₽352

5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 ₽734

$8.72 ₽636

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ₽153

$1.80 ₽132

16.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ₽141

$1.80 ₽131

7.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽141

$1.89 ₽138

2.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 ₽245

$2.77 ₽202

20.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₽55.3

$0.85 ₽62.0

-10.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₽48.95

$0.71 ₽51.7

-5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₽79.3

$1.42 ₽104

-23.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₽53.6

$0.70 ₽51.3

4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽234

$2.93 ₽214

9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 ₽699

$7.11 ₽519

34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽66.5

$1.03 ₽74.9

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₽149

$1.94 ₽142

5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽38.76

$0.53 ₽39.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.65 ₽2,310

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽135

$1.92 ₽140

-3.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.21

$0.32 ₽23.59

-21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ₽285

$6.49 ₽474

-39.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽54.2

$0.79 ₽57.9

-6.33%

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

$55.1K ₽4.0M

$34.7K ₽2.5M

58.94%

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

$26.4K ₽1.9M

$35.2K ₽2.6M

-24.99%

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

$107 ₽7,782

$109 ₽7,921

-1.75%

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

$5.48 ₽400

$6.09 ₽445

-10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.77 ₽640

$7.67 ₽560

14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₽4,432

$36.08 ₽2,634

68.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 ₽1,779

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ₽438

$5.13 ₽375

16.76%

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

$354 ₽25.8K

$324 ₽23.7K

9.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,701 ₽343.2K

$6,896 ₽503.3K

-31.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 ₽5,103

$71.2 ₽5,199

-1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 ₽2,913

$44.84 ₽3,273

-10.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 ₽7,052

$115 ₽8,389

-15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₽5,683

$106 ₽7,729

-26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽34.3K

$439 ₽32.1K

6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₽22.0K

$310 ₽22.6K

-2.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ₽61.3K

$754 ₽55.0K

11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₽47.2K

$511 ₽37.3K

26.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,092 ₽225.7K

$2,532 ₽184.8K

22.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,999 ₽145.9K

$1,966 ₽143.5K

1.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₽65.5K

$703 ₽51.3K

27.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulan Ude: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Novosibirsk and $439 in Ulan Ude. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 28% 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: $37.00 in Novosibirsk vs $38.00 in Ulan Ude. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $194, 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.

Novosibirsk pays 28% 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: $470 in Novosibirsk versus $439 in Ulan Ude. 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 $1,017 per month in Novosibirsk versus $976 in Ulan Ude – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Ulan Ude versus $1,017 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.