Cost of Living Comparison Between Tomsk and Novosibirsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Tomsk and Novosibirsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Tomsk versus $1,002 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,574 in Tomsk versus $1,639 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Tomsk versus $2,275 in Novosibirsk.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.27 ₽454

$7.58 ₽549

-17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 ₽2,346

$37.54 ₽2,720

-13.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ₽426

$5.21 ₽378

12.67%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₽164

$2.86 ₽207

-20.63%

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

$0.98 ₽70.7

$1.38 ₽100

-28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₽33.18

$0.86 ₽62.1

-46.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₽90.7

$2.55 ₽185

-50.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₽215

$3.80 ₽275

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽82.8

$1.05 ₽75.8

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽39.73

$0.62 ₽44.62

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₽132

$1.67 ₽121

8.98%

Eggs

$1.66 ₽120

$1.85 ₽134

-10.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 ₽785

$10.64 ₽771

1.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 ₽399

$5.18 ₽375

6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 ₽650

$10.08 ₽730

-11.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₽145

$2.10 ₽152

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₽143

$1.88 ₽136

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ₽154

$1.93 ₽140

10.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 ₽272

$3.50 ₽254

7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₽50.1

$0.74 ₽53.8

-6.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₽41.41

$0.68 ₽48.99

-16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₽76.0

$1.13 ₽81.7

-7.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₽42.43

$0.72 ₽52.0

-18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₽179

$3.22 ₽234

-23.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 ₽548

$9.70 ₽703

-21.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽61.8

$0.86 ₽62.4

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₽137

$2.16 ₽156

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₽28.33

$0.53 ₽38.41

-26.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.30 ₽1,906

$31.64 ₽2,293

-16.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₽123

$1.93 ₽140

-11.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.19

$0.25 ₽18.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 ₽446

$3.78 ₽274

62.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽53.6

$0.76 ₽55.3

-2.63%

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

$31.1K ₽2.3M

$55.8K ₽4.0M

-44.23%

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

$41.5K ₽3.0M

$26.9K ₽1.9M

54.48%

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

$114 ₽8,295

$104 ₽7,552

9.83%

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

$5.13 ₽372

$5.51 ₽399

-6.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.28 ₽600

$8.52 ₽618

-2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 ₽4,571

$59.9 ₽4,341

5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ₽1,835

$25.02 ₽1,813

1.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₽423

$6.17 ₽447

-5.35%

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

$76.5 ₽5,545

$350 ₽25.4K

-78.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,477 ₽324.4K

$4,694 ₽340.1K

-4.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 ₽5,532

$68.8 ₽4,983

11.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.31 ₽2,486

$40.32 ₽2,922

-14.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₽9,664

$95.8 ₽6,944

39.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$181 ₽13.1K

$79.7 ₽5,772

127.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ₽31.7K

$477 ₽34.6K

-8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₽20.1K

$298 ₽21.6K

-7.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₽55.1K

$839 ₽60.8K

-9.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₽37.5K

$658 ₽47.6K

-21.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,482 ₽179.8K

$3,064 ₽222.0K

-19.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,734 ₽125.6K

$1,935 ₽140.2K

-10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,002 ₽72.6K

$885 ₽64.1K

13.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.08

17.38

27.04%

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

Last update for Tomsk: June 7, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Tomsk and $477 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tomsk pays 13% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32.00 in Tomsk vs $38.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $210 per month, with Tomsk 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

Tomsk vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tomsk pays 13% 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: $438 in Tomsk versus $477 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 20% less than in Tomsk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Tomsk pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,002 in Novosibirsk versus $1,003 in Tomsk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Tomsk. 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, Tomsk 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.

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