Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Novosibirsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Novosibirsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $976 in Ulan Ude versus $1,017 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,502 in Ulan Ude versus $1,647 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Ulan Ude versus $2,276 in Novosibirsk.

Living in Ulan Ude costs roughly 4% less than in Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulan Ude 27% lower, Novosibirsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₽712

$7.46 ₽544

30.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.64 ₽2,747

$37.34 ₽2,725

0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 ₽429

$4.95 ₽361

18.79%

Cappuccino

$2.29 ₽167

$2.87 ₽210

-20.21%

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

$1.19 ₽87.2

$1.35 ₽98.8

-11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽37.76

$0.84 ₽61.3

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₽98.9

$2.50 ₽183

-46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₽190

$3.86 ₽282

-32.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₽83.7

$1.10 ₽80.3

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₽32.07

$0.57 ₽41.37

-22.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ₽101

$1.69 ₽123

-17.75%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽131

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₽801

$10.93 ₽798

0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 ₽352

$5.10 ₽373

-5.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 ₽636

$10.06 ₽734

-13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₽132

$2.09 ₽153

-13.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽131

$1.93 ₽141

-6.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₽138

$1.93 ₽141

-2.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 ₽202

$3.35 ₽245

-17.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ₽62.0

$0.76 ₽55.3

11.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₽51.7

$0.67 ₽48.95

5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₽104

$1.09 ₽79.3

30.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₽51.3

$0.73 ₽53.6

-4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₽214

$3.20 ₽234

-8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 ₽519

$9.58 ₽699

-25.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₽74.9

$0.91 ₽66.5

13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₽142

$2.04 ₽149

-4.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.03

$0.53 ₽38.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.65 ₽2,310

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₽140

$1.85 ₽135

3.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽23.59

$0.25 ₽18.21

28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ₽474

$3.90 ₽285

66.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽57.9

$0.74 ₽54.2

6.76%

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

$34.7K ₽2.5M

$55.1K ₽4.0M

-37.08%

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

$35.2K ₽2.6M

$26.4K ₽1.9M

33.32%

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

$109 ₽7,921

$107 ₽7,782

1.78%

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

$6.09 ₽445

$5.48 ₽400

11.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.67 ₽560

$8.77 ₽640

-12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 ₽2,634

$60.7 ₽4,432

-40.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 ₽1,779

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 ₽375

$5.99 ₽438

-14.36%

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

$324 ₽23.7K

$354 ₽25.8K

-8.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,896 ₽503.3K

$4,701 ₽343.2K

46.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 ₽5,199

$69.9 ₽5,103

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 ₽3,273

$39.91 ₽2,913

12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₽8,389

$96.6 ₽7,052

18.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₽7,729

$77.9 ₽5,683

36.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₽32.1K

$470 ₽34.3K

-6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₽22.6K

$302 ₽22.0K

2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₽55.0K

$840 ₽61.3K

-10.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₽37.3K

$647 ₽47.2K

-21.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,532 ₽184.8K

$3,092 ₽225.7K

-18.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,966 ₽143.5K

$1,999 ₽145.9K

-1.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₽51.3K

$897 ₽65.5K

-21.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.33

17.38

5.47%

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

Last update for Ulan Ude: May 30, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Ulan Ude and $470 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novosibirsk pays 28% 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: $38.00 in Ulan Ude vs $37.00 in Novosibirsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $210, with Ulan Ude 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

Ulan Ude vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulan Ude is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Novosibirsk earns 28% 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: $439 in Ulan Ude versus $470 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Novosibirsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Ulan Ude versus $1,017 in Novosibirsk – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Ulan Ude versus $1,017 in Novosibirsk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ulan Ude but tight or insufficient in Novosibirsk. The gap between the two cities makes Ulan Ude 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.

Expats usually find Ulan Ude gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Novosibirsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.