Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Novosibirsk versus $1,158 in Yekaterinburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,647 in Novosibirsk versus $1,838 in Yekaterinburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,276 in Novosibirsk versus $2,519 in Yekaterinburg.

Living in Novosibirsk costs roughly 12% less than in Yekaterinburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 24% lower, Yekaterinburg 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₽550

$13.56 ₽1,000

-44.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.34 ₽2,755

$49.97 ₽3,687

-25.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ₽365

$6.49 ₽479

-23.73%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₽212

$2.71 ₽200

5.90%

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

$1.35 ₽99.9

$1.42 ₽105

-4.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₽62.0

$0.60 ₽44.47

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ₽185

$1.93 ₽142

29.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 ₽285

$2.24 ₽166

72.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽81.2

$1.15 ₽84.9

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₽41.82

$0.70 ₽51.8

-18.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽124

$1.41 ₽104

19.86%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽132

$1.63 ₽121

9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 ₽807

$12.45 ₽919

-12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₽377

$4.72 ₽349

8.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 ₽742

$11.68 ₽862

-13.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ₽155

$2.05 ₽151

1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ₽142

$1.90 ₽140

1.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽143

$2.41 ₽178

-19.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 ₽247

$2.93 ₽216

14.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₽55.9

$0.69 ₽51.1

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₽49.48

$0.80 ₽58.7

-16.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₽80.2

$1.36 ₽100

-19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₽54.1

$0.71 ₽52.4

2.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽236

$2.47 ₽183

29.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 ₽707

$8.17 ₽603

17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽67.2

$1.14 ₽84.3

-20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₽151

$2.48 ₽183

-17.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.18

$0.44 ₽32.46

20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.65 ₽2,336

$25.34 ₽1,870

24.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽136

$2.54 ₽187

-27.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.41

$0.32 ₽23.92

-21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ₽288

$6.93 ₽511

-43.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽54.8

$0.76 ₽56.0

-2.63%

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

$55.1K ₽4.1M

$31.6K ₽2.3M

74.71%

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

$26.4K ₽2.0M

$47.1K ₽3.5M

-43.82%

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

$107 ₽7,867

$127 ₽9,407

-16.36%

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

$5.48 ₽405

$7.10 ₽524

-22.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.77 ₽647

$9.57 ₽706

-8.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₽4,480

$40.96 ₽3,023

48.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 ₽1,798

$18.79 ₽1,387

29.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ₽442

$5.25 ₽388

14.10%

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

$354 ₽26.1K

$475 ₽35.0K

-25.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,701 ₽346.9K

$8,844 ₽652.6K

-46.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 ₽5,158

$69.0 ₽5,088

1.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 ₽2,945

$46.05 ₽3,398

-13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 ₽7,129

$101 ₽7,422

-3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₽5,745

$74.8 ₽5,519

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽34.7K

$584 ₽43.1K

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₽22.3K

$384 ₽28.4K

-21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ₽62.0K

$1,124 ₽82.9K

-25.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₽47.7K

$779 ₽57.5K

-16.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,092 ₽228.2K

$2,912 ₽214.9K

6.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,999 ₽147.5K

$1,920 ₽141.7K

4.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₽66.2K

$1,027 ₽75.8K

-12.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

16.39

6.04%

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

Last update for Novosibirsk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Novosibirsk and $584 in Yekaterinburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yekaterinburg pays 14% 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 $50.0 in Yekaterinburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $217 per month, with Novosibirsk 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 Yekaterinburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novosibirsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Yekaterinburg earns 14% less. 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: $470 in Novosibirsk versus $584 in Yekaterinburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $354 in Novosibirsk versus $475 in Yekaterinburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Yekaterinburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,017 in Novosibirsk versus $1,158 in Yekaterinburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Yekaterinburg. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Novosibirsk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yekaterinburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Yekaterinburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.