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: $1,000 in Novosibirsk versus $1,145 in Yekaterinburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Novosibirsk versus $1,827 in Yekaterinburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,227 in Novosibirsk versus $2,509 in Yekaterinburg.

Living in Novosibirsk costs roughly 13% less than in Yekaterinburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novosibirsk 25% lower, Yekaterinburg 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 ₽580

$13.30 ₽1,044

-44.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 ₽2,975

$51.6 ₽4,047

-26.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₽409

$6.50 ₽510

-19.69%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ₽219

$2.82 ₽221

-0.71%

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

$1.33 ₽105

$1.36 ₽107

-2.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.0

$0.65 ₽51.3

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ₽197

$1.85 ₽145

35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₽293

$2.25 ₽176

66.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽82.3

$1.10 ₽86.6

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽48.30

$0.66 ₽51.9

-6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ₽126

$1.34 ₽105

19.40%

Eggs

$1.90 ₽149

$1.62 ₽127

17.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 ₽864

$12.54 ₽984

-12.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ₽403

$4.68 ₽367

9.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 ₽805

$11.78 ₽924

-12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₽158

$1.97 ₽155

2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₽144

$1.93 ₽151

-5.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₽156

$2.45 ₽192

-18.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₽271

$2.96 ₽232

16.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ₽61.3

$0.68 ₽53.2

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽51.8

$0.79 ₽61.9

-16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$1.37 ₽107

-21.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽52.6

$0.73 ₽57.0

-8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

$2.48 ₽195

29.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 ₽752

$7.91 ₽621

21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽72.5

$1.15 ₽90.3

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₽166

$2.46 ₽193

-13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽41.94

$0.43 ₽33.96

23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.18 ₽2,447

$25.23 ₽1,980

23.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₽148

$2.49 ₽195

-24.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽19.45

$0.35 ₽27.55

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 ₽305

$6.91 ₽542

-43.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 ₽55.1

$0.73 ₽57.0

-4.11%

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

$56.4K ₽4.4M

$31.4K ₽2.5M

79.90%

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

$26.8K ₽2.1M

$46.7K ₽3.7M

-42.68%

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

$107 ₽8,422

$130 ₽10.2K

-17.27%

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

$5.61 ₽440

$6.91 ₽543

-18.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.43 ₽662

$9.22 ₽724

-8.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 ₽4,683

$40.12 ₽3,149

48.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.44 ₽1,918

$19.27 ₽1,513

26.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ₽462

$5.56 ₽436

5.94%

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

$354 ₽27.8K

$463 ₽36.4K

-23.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₽369.3K

$8,822 ₽692.4K

-46.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ₽5,315

$68.5 ₽5,378

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 ₽3,136

$45.70 ₽3,587

-12.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 ₽7,467

$98.8 ₽7,756

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 ₽6,197

$74.0 ₽5,807

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ₽36.6K

$587 ₽46.1K

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₽23.7K

$386 ₽30.3K

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 ₽66.0K

$1,117 ₽87.7K

-24.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ₽51.5K

$779 ₽61.2K

-15.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,755 ₽216.2K

$2,795 ₽219.4K

-1.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₽139.7K

$1,865 ₽146.4K

-4.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 ₽66.4K

$967 ₽75.9K

-12.53%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Novosibirsk and $587 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: $38.00 in Novosibirsk vs $52.0 in Yekaterinburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $216 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, salaries run 14% lower in Yekaterinburg. 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: $467 in Novosibirsk versus $587 in Yekaterinburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $354 in Novosibirsk versus $463 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 $1,000 in Novosibirsk versus $1,145 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.