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: $1,037 in Tomsk versus $1,013 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in Tomsk versus $1,653 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Tomsk versus $2,294 in Novosibirsk.

Living in Tomsk is roughly 2% more expensive than Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tomsk 23% lower, Novosibirsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 ₽485

$7.47 ₽561

-13.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.79 ₽2,388

$37.41 ₽2,810

-15.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₽422

$5.00 ₽376

12.40%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₽170

$2.77 ₽208

-18.05%

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

$1.02 ₽76.9

$1.34 ₽100

-23.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₽32.24

$0.87 ₽65.2

-50.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 ₽93.4

$2.55 ₽192

-51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₽236

$3.72 ₽279

-15.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₽83.1

$1.05 ₽78.9

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₽43.46

$0.56 ₽42.37

3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₽139

$1.61 ₽121

14.91%

Eggs

$1.72 ₽129

$1.88 ₽141

-8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 ₽823

$10.69 ₽803

2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₽413

$4.94 ₽371

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 ₽674

$10.22 ₽768

-12.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₽154

$2.07 ₽156

-0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₽149

$1.87 ₽141

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 ₽161

$1.98 ₽149

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 ₽283

$3.34 ₽251

12.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₽52.6

$0.80 ₽60.1

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₽40.20

$0.67 ₽50.0

-19.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₽79.5

$1.09 ₽82.0

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽46.03

$0.72 ₽54.0

-15.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₽194

$3.14 ₽236

-17.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 ₽594

$9.55 ₽717

-17.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₽70.2

$0.87 ₽65.0

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₽137

$2.16 ₽162

-15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₽29.63

$0.52 ₽39.36

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.15 ₽1,965

$31.43 ₽2,362

-16.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 ₽126

$1.88 ₽141

-10.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.86

$0.25 ₽18.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ₽456

$3.86 ₽290

57.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 ₽51.7

$0.77 ₽57.5

-10.39%

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

$31.6K ₽2.4M

$55.8K ₽4.2M

-43.42%

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

$40.4K ₽3.0M

$27.1K ₽2.0M

49.05%

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

$114 ₽8,558

$106 ₽7,933

7.88%

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

$5.09 ₽382

$5.48 ₽412

-7.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.11 ₽609

$8.71 ₽654

-6.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 ₽4,589

$59.7 ₽4,486

2.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.54 ₽1,919

$25.25 ₽1,897

1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 ₽417

$5.91 ₽444

-6.09%

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

$75.0 ₽5,635

$354 ₽26.6K

-78.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,392 ₽330.0K

$4,695 ₽352.7K

-6.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 ₽5,612

$68.8 ₽5,165

8.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.43 ₽2,587

$39.38 ₽2,959

-12.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 ₽10.1K

$95.1 ₽7,142

41.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 ₽13.9K

$80.7 ₽6,061

129.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₽33.4K

$471 ₽35.4K

-5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 ₽20.9K

$309 ₽23.2K

-10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₽56.6K

$818 ₽61.5K

-8.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₽37.6K

$639 ₽48.0K

-21.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,153 ₽161.8K

$2,631 ₽197.7K

-18.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ₽113.0K

$1,582 ₽118.8K

-4.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₽60.4K

$856 ₽64.3K

-6.03%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Tomsk and $471 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Tomsk vs $37.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $208 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

Novosibirsk is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Novosibirsk earns 6% less. 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: $445 in Tomsk versus $471 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.0 in Tomsk versus $354 in Novosibirsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tomsk pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,013 in Novosibirsk versus $1,037 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.

Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Tomsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.