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: $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,000 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,614 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,227 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs are close between Rostov-on-Don and Novosibirsk; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 25% lower, Novosibirsk 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.16 ₽876

$7.39 ₽581

51.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₽2,969

$37.91 ₽2,978

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₽390

$5.22 ₽410

-4.79%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₽199

$2.80 ₽220

-9.64%

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

$1.19 ₽93.1

$1.33 ₽105

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.80 ₽63.0

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₽97.9

$2.51 ₽197

-50.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽170

$3.74 ₽294

-42.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽80.2

$1.05 ₽82.4

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽43.52

$0.62 ₽48.34

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₽90.6

$1.60 ₽126

-28.13%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽123

$1.90 ₽149

-17.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 ₽647

$11.01 ₽865

-25.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₽381

$5.13 ₽403

-5.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₽598

$10.26 ₽806

-25.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ₽99.5

$2.01 ₽158

-36.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₽127

$1.83 ₽144

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₽119

$1.99 ₽157

-23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₽190

$3.45 ₽271

-29.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽55.8

$0.78 ₽61.4

-8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₽43.34

$0.66 ₽51.9

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₽93.8

$1.08 ₽85.2

10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽49.41

$0.67 ₽52.6

-5.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₽598

$9.58 ₽752

-20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₽69.5

$0.92 ₽72.6

-3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽165

$2.12 ₽166

-0.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₽40.31

$0.53 ₽41.97

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.36 ₽1,521

$31.18 ₽2,449

-37.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₽154

$1.88 ₽148

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽25.83

$0.25 ₽19.46

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ₽522

$3.88 ₽305

71.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₽60.6

$0.70 ₽55.2

10.00%

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

$25.7K ₽2.0M

$56.4K ₽4.4M

-54.50%

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

$39.7K ₽3.1M

$26.8K ₽2.1M

48.22%

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

$99.1 ₽7,787

$107 ₽8,429

-7.62%

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

$7.17 ₽563

$5.61 ₽441

27.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.05 ₽632

$8.43 ₽662

-4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,263

$59.7 ₽4,687

-30.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.69 ₽2,018

$24.44 ₽1,920

5.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 ₽397

$5.89 ₽463

-14.09%

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

$286 ₽22.5K

$354 ₽27.8K

-19.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 ₽659.6K

$4,706 ₽369.7K

78.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.48 ₽3,808

$67.7 ₽5,320

-28.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 ₽4,743

$39.96 ₽3,139

51.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,992

$95.1 ₽7,474

20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₽8,000

$79.0 ₽6,203

28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₽38.5K

$467 ₽36.7K

5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₽27.7K

$302 ₽23.8K

16.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 ₽72.9K

$841 ₽66.1K

10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₽45.6K

$656 ₽51.5K

-11.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,635 ₽207.0K

$2,755 ₽216.4K

-4.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,630 ₽128.0K

$1,780 ₽139.8K

-8.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$904 ₽71.0K

$846 ₽66.5K

6.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

17.38

-6.04%

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

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Rostov-on-Don and $467 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $38.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $210 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

Average pay runs 7% higher in Rostov-on-Don, 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: $490 in Rostov-on-Don versus $467 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novosibirsk runs roughly 61% less than in Rostov-on-Don. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Rostov-on-Don pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,000 in Novosibirsk versus $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Rostov-on-Don. 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 Rostov-on-Don, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Novosibirsk wins on affordability, Rostov-on-Don on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.