Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Novosibirsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Novosibirsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,047 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,703 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,359 in Novosibirsk.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 3% less than in Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 26% lower, Novosibirsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 ₽879

$8.13 ₽698

25.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.33 ₽2,947

$41.10 ₽3,527

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 ₽503

$5.62 ₽482

4.27%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₽226

$2.80 ₽240

-6.07%

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

$1.12 ₽96.2

$1.17 ₽100

-4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₽46.49

$0.67 ₽57.6

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ₽173

$1.14 ₽97.8

77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₽264

$4.77 ₽409

-35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽98.1

$1.14 ₽97.7

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₽57.1

$0.68 ₽58.4

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽117

Eggs

$1.28 ₽110

$1.66 ₽143

-22.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 ₽1,011

$11.25 ₽965

4.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₽423

$4.82 ₽413

2.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 ₽771

$10.69 ₽917

-16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₽115

$1.89 ₽162

-29.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₽150

$1.61 ₽139

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₽126

$1.82 ₽156

-19.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ₽224

$3.03 ₽260

-13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₽69.8

$0.71 ₽61.2

14.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₽47.44

$0.60 ₽51.9

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₽104

$1.50 ₽129

-18.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽52.1

$0.64 ₽54.8

-4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₽245

$3.23 ₽277

-11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 ₽569

$9.22 ₽791

-28.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽74.8

$0.90 ₽77.4

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₽170

$1.71 ₽147

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₽44.84

$0.54 ₽46.67

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.81 ₽1,185

$28.05 ₽2,408

-50.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ₽272

$2.30 ₽197

37.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₽13.48

$0.44 ₽38.09

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ₽337

$5.78 ₽496

-32.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽69.5

$0.75 ₽64.3

8.00%

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

$28.9K ₽2.5M

$23.5K ₽2.0M

23.14%

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

$30.7K ₽2.6M

$32.7K ₽2.8M

-6.12%

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

$127 ₽10.9K

$108 ₽9,305

17.27%

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

$8.89 ₽763

$6.50 ₽558

36.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.72 ₽662

$7.95 ₽682

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.45 ₽2,528

$38.24 ₽3,282

-22.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ₽1,726

$30.23 ₽2,594

-33.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 ₽434

$6.88 ₽590

-26.60%

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

$323 ₽27.7K

$292 ₽25.1K

10.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₽4,421

$70.3 ₽6,029

-26.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.02 ₽3,692

$44.27 ₽3,799

-2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 ₽7,510

$129 ₽11.1K

-32.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₽9,288

$92.8 ₽7,962

16.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₽41.3K

$515 ₽44.2K

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ₽27.9K

$346 ₽29.7K

-5.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 ₽83.5K

$983 ₽84.3K

-0.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₽43.7K

$701 ₽60.1K

-27.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 ₽205.7K

$2,496 ₽214.2K

-3.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ₽123.4K

$1,599 ₽137.2K

-10.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$790 ₽67.8K

$805 ₽69.1K

-1.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.14

22.83

-11.78%

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

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: August 31, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Rostov-on-Don and $515 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 2% 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: $34.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $41.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $205 per month, with Rostov-on-Don 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

Rostov-on-Don vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Novosibirsk. 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: $482 in Rostov-on-Don versus $515 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $323 in Rostov-on-Don versus $292 in Novosibirsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,047 in Novosibirsk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Rostov-on-Don gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.