Cost of Living Comparison Between Obninsk and Novosibirsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Obninsk and Novosibirsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,117 in Obninsk versus $1,013 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,803 in Obninsk versus $1,653 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,488 in Obninsk versus $2,294 in Novosibirsk.

Living in Obninsk is roughly 10% more expensive than Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Obninsk 17% lower, Novosibirsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.52 ₽941

$7.47 ₽561

67.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 ₽4,403

$37.41 ₽2,810

56.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 ₽467

$5.00 ₽376

24.40%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ₽239

$2.77 ₽208

14.80%

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

$1.37 ₽103

$1.34 ₽100

2.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽47.63

$0.87 ₽65.2

-27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₽102

$2.55 ₽192

-47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ₽331

$3.72 ₽279

18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽87.8

$1.05 ₽78.9

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₽63.4

$0.56 ₽42.37

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽127

$1.61 ₽121

4.97%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽138

$1.88 ₽141

-2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 ₽978

$10.69 ₽803

21.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 ₽437

$4.94 ₽371

17.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 ₽909

$10.22 ₽768

18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽142

$2.07 ₽156

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ₽132

$1.87 ₽141

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₽179

$1.98 ₽149

20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ₽305

$3.34 ₽251

21.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ₽74.4

$0.80 ₽60.1

23.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 ₽58.8

$0.67 ₽50.0

16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ₽123

$1.09 ₽82.0

49.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽56.2

$0.72 ₽54.0

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽241

$3.14 ₽236

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₽395

$9.55 ₽717

-44.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽80.3

$0.87 ₽65.0

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₽174

$2.16 ₽162

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽40.22

$0.52 ₽39.36

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.43 ₽2,362

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽189

$1.88 ₽141

34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ₽36.01

$0.25 ₽18.77

92.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.34 ₽626

$3.86 ₽290

116.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽61.0

$0.77 ₽57.5

5.19%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$55.8K ₽4.2M

-32.10%

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

$36.4K ₽2.7M

$27.1K ₽2.0M

34.25%

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

$153 ₽11.5K

$106 ₽7,933

45.21%

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

$7.78 ₽585

$5.48 ₽412

41.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.09 ₽608

$8.71 ₽654

-7.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.87 ₽2,620

$59.7 ₽4,486

-41.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.58 ₽945

$25.25 ₽1,897

-50.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ₽470

$5.91 ₽444

5.92%

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

$321 ₽24.1K

$354 ₽26.6K

-9.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,988 ₽525.0K

$4,695 ₽352.7K

48.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 ₽6,677

$68.8 ₽5,165

29.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₽3,998

$39.38 ₽2,959

35.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₽10.0K

$95.1 ₽7,142

40.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 ₽11.9K

$80.7 ₽6,061

96.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₽33.1K

$471 ₽35.4K

-6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₽22.6K

$309 ₽23.2K

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₽57.3K

$818 ₽61.5K

-6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₽38.1K

$639 ₽48.0K

-20.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,994 ₽149.8K

$2,631 ₽197.7K

-24.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,530 ₽115.0K

$1,582 ₽118.8K

-3.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 ₽64.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

-53.97%

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

Last update for Obninsk: April 26, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Obninsk and $471 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Obninsk vs $37.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $208 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

Obninsk vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novosibirsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,676 in Obninsk and $1,519 in Novosibirsk to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Obninsk versus $471 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $1,117 per month in Obninsk versus $1,013 in Novosibirsk – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Novosibirsk versus $1,117 in Obninsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Obninsk. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk 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.

Safety-wise, Obninsk and Novosibirsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Obninsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.