Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Ulyanovsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Ulyanovsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Novosibirsk versus $811 in Ulyanovsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,703 in Novosibirsk versus $1,259 in Ulyanovsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,359 in Novosibirsk versus $1,707 in Ulyanovsk.

Living in Novosibirsk is roughly 29% more expensive than in Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 24% lower, Ulyanovsk 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.13 ₽698

$11.56 ₽992

-29.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.10 ₽3,527

$28.53 ₽2,448

44.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₽482

$5.87 ₽504

-4.26%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₽240

$2.40 ₽206

16.67%

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

$1.17 ₽100

$1.00 ₽85.8

17.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽57.6

$0.49 ₽42.22

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₽97.8

$2.22 ₽191

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ₽409

$1.71 ₽147

178.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽97.7

$1.06 ₽91.0

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₽58.4

$0.72 ₽62.2

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽117

$1.21 ₽104

12.40%

Eggs

$1.66 ₽143

$0.98 ₽84.1

69.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 ₽965

$11.43 ₽981

-1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 ₽413

$5.48 ₽471

-12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 ₽917

$9.44 ₽810

13.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽162

$1.20 ₽103

57.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₽139

$1.61 ₽138

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ₽156

$2.35 ₽201

-22.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 ₽260

$2.79 ₽240

8.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽61.2

$0.96 ₽82.3

-26.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽51.9

$0.65 ₽55.7

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ₽129

$1.43 ₽123

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽54.8

$0.42 ₽36.18

52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽277

$2.63 ₽226

22.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 ₽791

$6.89 ₽592

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₽77.4

$0.70 ₽59.8

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₽147

$0.60 ₽51.3

185.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽46.67

$0.41 ₽35.08

31.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.05 ₽2,408

$17.03 ₽1,461

64.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 ₽197

$1.25 ₽108

84.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽38.09

$0.17 ₽14.43

158.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 ₽496

$4.83 ₽414

19.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽64.3

$0.78 ₽66.6

-3.85%

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

$23.5K ₽2.0M

$48.9K ₽4.2M

-51.95%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$42.2K ₽3.6M

-22.43%

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

$108 ₽9,305

$58.0 ₽4,978

86.95%

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

$6.50 ₽558

$5.19 ₽446

25.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.95 ₽682

$4.54 ₽390

75.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.24 ₽3,282

$27.89 ₽2,393

37.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 ₽2,594

$24.53 ₽2,105

23.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ₽590

$5.53 ₽474

24.41%

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

$292 ₽25.1K

$175 ₽15.0K

67.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 ₽6,029

$29.00 ₽2,489

142.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 ₽3,799

$34.14 ₽2,930

29.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₽11.1K

$91.2 ₽7,830

41.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ₽7,962

$57.9 ₽4,969

60.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₽44.2K

$335 ₽28.7K

54.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₽29.7K

$223 ₽19.2K

55.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 ₽84.3K

$504 ₽43.2K

95.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 ₽60.1K

$392 ₽33.6K

78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,496 ₽214.2K

$2,021 ₽173.5K

23.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,599 ₽137.2K

$1,231 ₽105.7K

29.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 ₽69.1K

$613 ₽52.6K

31.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

-0.74%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Novosibirsk and $335 in Ulyanovsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 31% 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: $41.00 in Novosibirsk vs $29.00 in Ulyanovsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $189 per month, with Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulyanovsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $515 in Novosibirsk versus $335 in Ulyanovsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $292 in Novosibirsk versus $175 in Ulyanovsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $811 in Ulyanovsk versus $1,047 in Novosibirsk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulyanovsk but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.