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: $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,017 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,555 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,647 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,276 in Novosibirsk.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 2% less than in Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 ₽829

$7.46 ₽550

50.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.44 ₽2,836

$37.34 ₽2,755

2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ₽369

$4.95 ₽365

0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₽186

$2.87 ₽212

-12.54%

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

$1.20 ₽88.8

$1.35 ₽99.9

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₽51.5

$0.84 ₽62.0

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 ₽91.3

$2.50 ₽185

-50.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₽168

$3.86 ₽285

-40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽75.4

$1.10 ₽81.2

-7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽40.41

$0.57 ₽41.82

-3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₽84.9

$1.69 ₽124

-31.95%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽116

$1.79 ₽132

-12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 ₽599

$10.93 ₽807

-25.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 ₽352

$5.10 ₽377

-6.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 ₽545

$10.06 ₽742

-26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ₽93.2

$2.09 ₽155

-39.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₽121

$1.93 ₽142

-14.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₽108

$1.93 ₽143

-24.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₽178

$3.35 ₽247

-28.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₽53.0

$0.76 ₽55.9

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₽41.22

$0.67 ₽49.48

-16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₽87.7

$1.09 ₽80.2

9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽50.0

$0.73 ₽54.1

-6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₽245

$3.20 ₽236

3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₽586

$9.58 ₽707

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽67.5

$0.91 ₽67.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽156

$2.04 ₽151

3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₽37.82

$0.53 ₽39.18

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.86 ₽1,392

$31.65 ₽2,336

-40.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₽143

$1.85 ₽136

4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽26.16

$0.25 ₽18.41

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 ₽469

$3.90 ₽288

63.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 ₽57.8

$0.74 ₽54.8

5.41%

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

$25.3K ₽1.9M

$55.1K ₽4.1M

-54.12%

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

$39.9K ₽2.9M

$26.4K ₽2.0M

50.85%

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

$96.2 ₽7,100

$107 ₽7,867

-9.75%

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

$7.01 ₽517

$5.48 ₽405

27.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.06 ₽595

$8.77 ₽647

-8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ₽2,989

$60.7 ₽4,480

-33.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.14 ₽1,855

$24.37 ₽1,798

3.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₽365

$5.99 ₽442

-17.53%

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

$288 ₽21.2K

$354 ₽26.1K

-18.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,215 ₽606.2K

$4,701 ₽346.9K

74.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.54 ₽3,582

$69.9 ₽5,158

-30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 ₽4,599

$39.91 ₽2,945

56.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,322

$96.6 ₽7,129

16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₽7,504

$77.9 ₽5,745

30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₽36.1K

$470 ₽34.7K

4.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₽25.9K

$302 ₽22.3K

16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 ₽69.1K

$840 ₽62.0K

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 ₽42.5K

$647 ₽47.7K

-10.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 ₽207.1K

$3,092 ₽228.2K

-9.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,738 ₽128.3K

$1,999 ₽147.5K

-13.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$966 ₽71.3K

$897 ₽66.2K

7.72%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Rostov-on-Don and $470 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $37.00 in Novosibirsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $210, with Rostov-on-Don cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rostov-on-Don pays 8% more on average, 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 $470 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $288 in Rostov-on-Don versus $354 in Novosibirsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,017 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 2% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.